Kara Cutter: Season 1
by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Summary: What if Nick Cutter and Helen Cutter had a daughter. Follow her as she and her father and friend Stephen Hart battle animals of the past. And possibly find out that Kara's mother may be alive. Watch as the past unravels for three unexpected Characters.
1. Disclaimer and Introduction

**Disclaimer:** Kara Cutter is Nick and Helen's 18 year old daughter. She lost her mother when she was 10 and now her father's student at the university. I do not own Primeval but I do own Kara Cutter

**Introductions:** Kara Cutter. 18 year old daughter to Nick and Helen Cutter. She has shoulder length wavy brown hair **(like her mother. Except she has Blonde highlights)** and sparkling blue eyes. She has a bubbly personality and attitude for adventure. She enjoys learning about the past. She is a dedicated scientist like her parents.


	2. The Gorganospid

Chapter one

The Gorganospid

13 years ago 

Kara Cutter a 5 year old child with shoulder length wavy brown hair with blonde highlights run across the children's park near her home as her father Nick Cutter chased her. Giggling Kara looked back to see if her dad was still chasing her but she didn't seem him. Slowing down and coming to a stop Kara looked around for her father until she felt someone grab her from behind spinning around as someone picked her up she saw her dad. She laughed and wrapped her small arms around him. "Not fair daddy!" she exclaimed as he hugged her, holding her small figure in his arms. Helen Cutter couldn't help but smile as she watched her husband and 5 year old daughter. Kara was her pride and joy from the moment she was born 

* * *

Ten years later

A shopping trolley rolls across the parking lot of Asdas shopping centre as a Gorganosid walked out of the trees surrounding the interior. Growling at the woman who run across the parking lot and hid in a metal bin. With a loud roar the Gorganosid took charge in the direction in which the woman had run and ramming in the metal bin in which she had hidden. The woman in question had shoulder length brown hair with brown eyes. Her breathing was ragged and heavy from running from the dinosaur. She wore Green trousers and a green button up shirt with trainers, a backpack rested on both shoulders.

Finally being able to climb out of the metal bin before the dinosaur destroyed it. The woman runs towards the double doors of the store. The cleaner who was buffing the floors was listening to music, he looked up but didn't pay any attention and looked back down to the floor shaking his head and mumbling along with his music.

"Hey! Let me in!" She shouted. Knowing she wasn't going to get into the store for safety the woman runs off as a bunch of trolleys are thrown in her direction. She runs between the few cars that are left in the parking lot. Crouching down she makes her way to the end of the cars. But its no luck, the dinosaurs throws the cars into the air as it searches for her. She almost gets squashed had she hadn't gotten out of the way in time, as several cars tossed into the air and landing right where she had been situated. Breathing deeply she stands and runs back towards the trees disappearing in to the forest. That was the last time anyone saw Helen Cutter.

* * *

Eight years later

Kara Cutter walked out of her home, in front of her was her Father: Nick Cutter, and Friend: Steven Hart. She wore a knee length black skirt with a black strap top and knee high black boots to complete her looks, her shoulder length brown hair hung loosely around her shoulders.

Once out her she closed and locked the door as she listened to Nick and Steven's conversation. She turned from the door and saw her dad had already gotten into the front seat of the car. Kara climbed into the back and frowned at her dad "Not fair. Why can't I drive?" Nick laughed at his 18 year old daughter and turned to face her. "You made the rule up two years ago sweetheart. When you started to learn how to drive?" He said looking into her Sparkling blue eyes. Kara sighed "Whoever gets to the drivers seat first drives" She recited as her father started the car. Steven laughed softly as he looked from Kara to Nick then at the road in front of them. It was a wonder to him how father and daughter where so much alike, even after everything that had happened in the past. Ever since Helen Cutter had 'disappeared' Nick hadn't been the same no matter how hard he tried not to show it. Kara on the other hand was harder to read, it was like she hadn't noticed her mother wasn't there anymore. Of course when Helen died Kara had been 10, and back then Kara took it really hard. But now at the age of 18 she honestly didn't seem affected. It might have been for the fact that Helen wasn't mentioned anymore.

About and hour later, Nick Cutters 4x4 Silver Pick up truck pulled up outside the University Campus. Nick Cutter, Steven Hart and Kara Cutter all climbed out of the truck Kara grabbing her black backpack as she did so. As they got out Steven and Nick carried on their conversation as Kara listened to her music walking on her fathers left side as they walked into the Centre Metropolis University. As they where walking towards Nicks office along a wooden walkway on the outside of one of the buildings a guy called to Nick from behind the.

"Professor Cutter?" Shouted the guy. He had black hair; he wore a red shirt with brown trousers and brown shoes. A black coat and fingerless gloves. And a hat.

"Careful there" Nick said as the guy dropped all his papers as he tripped. Nick and Steven carried on walking as Kara stopped to help the guy up. She handed him back his papers as she hurried to catch up with her father and Steven

"Professor! Professor Cutter!" The guy called again. Nick, Steven and Kara stopped again as he caught up with them. The guy extended his hand to Cutter to shake.

"Connor Temple" He said introducing himself

"Sorry never heard of it" Cutter said oblivious to the fact it was a name. Kara groaned and shook her head as her father said this causing Steven to shoot her a concerned look. "I think you want Archaeology. I want you to go around up there to your right and keep walking; it's on your left" Cutter said as he and Steven both pointed towards the Archaeology building. Kara shook her head again as she heard Connor speak.

"No, its not…it's not a place, it's my name…Im one of your students" Connor said getting Cutters full attention

"Really?" Cutter asked looking at Connor closely before realising he didn't recognize him

"Uh-huh" Connor said nodding

"Well…why…why don't I recognize you?" Cutter asked curiously. As Steven and Kara exchanged glances wanting to know the same answer. Since they where always with Nick they knew most of his students and the most certainly didn't recognize Connor Temple. Kara knew her fathers students anyway from being his daughter and always in his seminars.

"Well…uh…I've never actually turned up for the Seminars" Connor said finally and looking at the floor. Cutter shared a glance with Steven and turned putting his hand on Kara's shoulder as they walked towards his office leaving Connor to follow them. When they got to Nick's office. Kara noticed that her father's desk was covered with Various Skulls and papers again. She shook her head and walked over to the window and sat down on the ledge looking out at the campus grounds.

"Don't touch anything" Kara heard her father say "This is my laboratory technician. Steven Hart" He said motioning to Steven "And my daughter Kara Cutter" He said nodding at Kara.

"Hi" Both Kara and Steven said in unison with a nod in Connor's direction from their positions.

Kara still sitting on the Window ledge and Steven was now standing in front of a Microscope his backpack on the floor beside his chair.

"Hi" Connor replied looking at them both, his gaze lingering on Kara a while longer till he noticed he was staring at her. He turned his attention from the teenage girl to Cutter who was standing behind his desk putting his Jacket on the back of his chair. Nick picked up a pile of papers and a Pink Folder as he looked for somewhere to put them then suddenly threw them in the waste paper bin beside his desk.

"Actually, that's my dissertation" Connor said pointing the pink folder. Cutter gives Connor a questioning look and retrieved it from the bin. "Yeah, you see I argue that all life on Earth derived from organisms carried here by alien spacefacrafts. Its pretty sexy stuff" Connor explained. Kara stifled her laughter from behind her father, as Nick and Steven shared a disbelieving look. Cutter pursed his lips and tossed the dissertation back into the bin

"Its work in progress actually" Connor said

Kara watched as her father picked up his favourite piece of rock that had a fossilized fish skeleton engraved into it "Tell me what this is?" He questioned Connor

"A fish?" Connor answered unsurely

"Obviously" Kara answered as she got of the ledge and walked around her father's desk towards Steven "It's a Sarcopterygian…There's no trace of them in the fossil record for over 70 million years, and the suddenly one of the pops up in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Totally inexplicable in the modern evolutionary terms" Kara continued before looking into the scope Steven had been a second ago.

"See, Darwin provides most of the answers, it's the pieces that don't fit that interest me." Cutter explained after his daughter had explained. He was rather pleased that she shared the same interests in dinosaurs and the past as he did. Steven merely smiled at Kara as she explained and then took interest in the microscope. She seemed to go from teacher to student in a mere two seconds. Connor just stood there and stared at her taking in every word she had said. Before turning back to Cutter.

"See, that's why I was wondering if you'd seen this?" Connor asked taking out a folded up newspaper from his bag. Nick passed the fish to Steven who put it down on his workstation as Kara looked up from the microscope. "Some sort of gigantic, undiscovered predator" Connor said as Nick passed the paper to Steven and Kara on the front page they saw the headline 'MONSTER HOAX or TRULY BEASTLY'. A blurry picture of a giant, well thing pasted underneath it. Cutter, Steven and Kara looked at one another then at Connor "It's a Hoax" Nick said

"Oh no, no, no, no. This…This is the real thing" Connor said taking the paper from Kara

"Connor, you should get out more" Cutter said moving back to his seat behind his desk "Go to a bar. Meet a nice girl. Life will seem a lot less confusing."

"I've already got a girlfriend" Connor said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sort of" he added

Kara held in her laughter, as Cutter stood in front of his chair and behind his desk looking at Connor "That's not really the point…There's an eyewitness, claimed to have seen it" Connor continued

"People have claimed to see the Lock Ness Monster" Kara said as she leaned down and wrote something on her note pad

"That doesn't mean they have" Nick added

"Not now, obviously…It died years ago. The Government, they took the body away and covered the whole thing up" Connor said

"This is a Hoax…Forget it" Cutter said

"Your wife wouldn't have ignored it" Connor said suddenly. Nick froze and stared at Connor. Kara who had been writing dropped her pen as her head shot up and she spun around glaring at Connor. Steven instantly looked at her. No one had mentioned her mother to her in over 8 years. They didn't know how much it affected her and Nick to lose such a big part of them. Even though Kara hid her feelings well, Helen was still her mother. Nick looked at his daughter as he crossed the room to her and wrapped his arms around her, but Kara didn't budge from her spot. Still staring at Connor.

"My wife was a serious scientist" Cutter said resting his chin on the top of his daughters head

"My mum wasn't a gullible monster hunter" Kara snapped

"Sorry" Connor said slightly taken back by Kara's attitude. Steven wasn't surprised to see Connor's face when Kara snapped at him. She sounded cold and harsh. Even Steven who had known her since she was 12 flinched. Kara had a bad temper and when someone angered her and pushed her too far she let that anger out. She bottled up all her feelings and unexpectedly would let them out on unexpected people. Only Nick, Steven and Helen where the ones she didn't take her temper out on.

"It's okay" Cutter said shortly as he calmed his angered daughter.

"I just thought you might want to check it out that's all" Connor said putting the paper back in his bag and heading for the door. Kara pulled away from her father and turned back to the microscope she felt someone's hand on her back and looked up to Steven smiling comfortly at her. Kara smiled back and turned away "It's not like the Forest of Dean is far away though" Connor finished.

Steven felt Kara tense as he shot a look towards Connor that clearly said 'Way to go' both Kara and Nick looked at Connor. Kara's eyes narrowed into slits as Nick stared in disbelief at the words that just came out of Connor's mouth

"The Forest of Dean" Nick asked to make sure he had heard it right

Slowly Nick turned to his once again angered daughter and stunned friend. Nick knew how much Helen meant to Kara he also knew if he didn't get Connor out of the soon Kara would snap

"If we leave now" Steven said as he looked down at Kara. Thinking the same thing as Nick.

"We'll be there by lunch" Kara finished in a matter-of-fact tone. Though she still glared ice daggers at Connor who flinched and backed-up slightly

* * *

When they got there, they all approached the damaged truck with the eyewitness, a security guard standing next to it in a reflective jacket.

"I'd just finished my rounds when I caught a glimpse of it on the monitor" The security guard explained

The body of the truck had been slashed open, leaving great gashes in its side. "Can you imagine how much force it took to rip this thing open?" Connor asked "Look at the size of the marks. If you want my opinion, I think it's…" Connor stopped when he caught the look on Cutters face.

Steven picked up a dead chicken and looked at it before turning to Kara and pretended to throw it at her causing her to flinch and gag. Cutter shook his head at the scene between his only daughter and best friend. He knew how much Kara hated being around dead animals she didn't even eat meat. "You don't do you?" Connor asked after the amused look Nick gave him.

"Well, if I found these gouges in the wild, I'd be certain we were looking for a large predator" Stephen said

"But we're in the Forest of Dean" Kara and Nick said in unison. They looked at each other and smiled. Steven chuckled softly as they answered simultaneously

"It was a huge and fast. It was gone across the yard in a second" the guard said

Kara approached the truck and saw red, liquid splashed across its side. "Well, there's blood" she stated moving closer to the actual forest. Steven and Nick followed. "Steven…come give me a logical explanation for this". Kara asked staring into the forest.

"It's a hoax" He said walking towards her Nick following. "Obviously" He said once he and Nick stood on either side of her, they stared at the twisted metal fence that surrounded the Forest of Dean. "Just a difficult one to pull off" He finished as Nick moved forward. Kara stared at her father then at the forest she knew what was going through his mind it was the same as to what was going through hers. Her mother had come to this part of the forest 8 years ago. This is where she disappeared.

"Can I say something" Connor asked breaking the silence. "Is he alright?" Connor asked.

"Helen Cutter came to this area eight years ago to investigate a creature sighting…she disappeared into the forests…the body was never found. Just a backpack. No blood. No clues. Nothing. She just vanished." Steven explained as he stepped forward and held Kara in his arms as silent tears leaked from her eyes. They weren't tears of sadness but of confusion. She wanted to know if this 'Monster' sighting had anything to do with her mother disappearance. She had questions that needed answers. But she didn't know who to ask. She knew her father wouldn't know the answers and Steven was just as clueless as she was. Connor…well Connor didn't know anything about her and what had happened in her life so he was out of the question.

* * *

Later that same day

Kara sat on the passenger's side of her fathers 4x4 Silver pick up truck. Connor and Steven where standing outside leaning on the front of the car. Connor was showing Steven something on his laptop database. They where outside Eddington Hotel. Her father was inside; he hadn't been quiet ever since they had come across the scene. And Kara was sure he was thinking of her mother. She didn't question him on anything, she knew he needed time to think and process everything he had just seen. Has she was singing along to her I-pod she didn't hear Steven and Connor talking about her and her father. She also didn't see her father walk towards the car until Steven tapped the glass and indicated to her father. Taking her earphones off, Kara stepped out of the car as Connor closed his laptop.

"This is Claudia Brown from Home Office" Nick introduced "She'll be coming with us" He finished

"I knew it" Connor said "It's a cover up" he added

"What's he talking about?" Claudia asked studying Connor closely then looking at Nick

"Connor never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like" Kara answered before her father could.

She smiled as Claudia turned to her and noticed she looked like Nick. Kara could only imagine what was going through Claudia's mind at this moment in time. Nick looked from Claudia to Kara and back again noticing the look on the older woman's face. He smiled as he and Steven climbed into the truck. Claudia clambered into the passenger's side as Kara glowered and joined Steven and Connor in the back

* * *

Kara, Steven, Nick, Claudia and Connor where walking through the forest. They had returned to the scene to see if they could find anything. Steven had a map and Connor a compass. Kara walked beside Steven as she helped track where they where going on the map. She had always helped Steven whenever the opportunity came. Steven didn't mind she had been doing this ever since he met her 6 years ago.

"If there really were some creature around here, wouldn't the journalists have found it by now" Claudia asked from her position beside Nick. As they walked behind the group of three.

"They wouldn't know what they where looking for" Kara said over her shoulder.

"And you do?" Claudia asked her turning away from Nick to face Kara. She was still rather surprised that Kara was Nick's daughter. But that would explain why she looked like him.

"Kinda." Kara stated as she stopped and started walking backwards so she could see Claudia better. "I have seen Steven track wounded animals through the rainforests for up to ten days at a time" Kara continued

"Not to mention wrestle an anaconda and save a whale" Connor said as he passed her to walk with Steven. Kara smiled and turned back around just in time to side step around a log. She hurried to catch up with Connor and Steven leaving her father and Claudia behind.

"Maybe there's something here, maybe there isn't" Kara heard her father say "Frankly I doubt it" he added

"Oh My God" Kara said as she stopped and looked up into a tree. "Steven…Connor" She called to them and pointed to what she was looking at.

"Cutter" Steven called as he looked at what Kara was looking at. He took hold of Kara's hand and turned her away. Connor looked from the dead cow hanging from the branches to Kara and Steven seeing their fingers intertwined together. He sighed and looked away as Cutter approached them

"Okay" Nick said when he saw it "Now im getting interested" he finished after making sure his daughter wasn't looking. He too noticed that she had Steven's where holding hands but he passed it off as nothing.

"Professor…the compass is going haywire" Connor said as he passed the small device to Cutter. Everyone looked to see what he meant. The small needle beneath the glass was spinning madly

* * *

"Why did you turn me away?" Kara asked Steven curiously as they walked further into the forest and far away from the Dead cow.

"Instinct" he said sounding unsure. "I've know you well enough Kara. You hate seeing dead animals. And besides you know your dad would have turned you away anyway" Steven answered looking down at the teenager beside him. Kara smiled and nodded "Thanks" she said. Steven nodded and looked back up. What was the feeling he had for Kara all of a sudden? It was obvious he cared about her having known her all these years, but why did he get the sudden urge to protect her from every little thing that could hurt her. Was he falling for her?

Kara then realized that unlike her father. Steven actually treated her like an 18 year old not a child. As they walked Kara heard what sounded like a low roar. She turned towards the sound and noticed a girl with short blonde hair. And black clothing on backing up from what looked to be a Scutosaurus. A dinosaur.

"Don't move" Kara said walking up behind the girl

"Is it real?" The girl asked

"Some kind of experiment, maybe" Kara said "Hybrid, throw back" Kara added as she turned to face the blonde haired girl. "Who are you?" she asked

"Abby Maitland" The girl answered. "Im a keeper at Wellington Zoo" Abby added. "And you are?" she contradicted

"Kara Cutter" Kara answered. "Im a student at Metropolis University" she added

"Kara?! Kara?!" Kara turned when she heard her name being called. "Dad…Steven over here" Kara called back. When her father came into View she turned back to the dinosaur before she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her father standing behind her staring at the Scutosaurus in disbelief.

Nick approached it, shinning his torch. "It's a reptile, five or six tonnes at least. Large supratemporal bosses. Huge oesteoderms on its back" Kara recited as she, Steven, Connor and Nick stepped forward

"It must be some kind of anapsid" Nick said

"A tortoise" Kara and Abby said together. Nick looked around at them both. Abby had a look of confusion that this animal was a tortoise. And Kara showed a look of disbelief. She knew that the animal before them was a dinosaur and she knew her father knew too.

The Scutosaurus roared, making everyone but Kara back up. Kara actually started to move closer as she reached out with her hand in an attempt to touch it.

"Stay in its field of vision…your making him nervous" Kara said as she continued to move closer her hand still out stretched. Nick watched his daughter move forward, nervousness and confusion rushed through him. He was confused with what was presented infront of him. The look on his daughters face when he said it wasnt a dinosaur was enough for him to know she didn't believe him. It was a dinosaur it moved, looked and acted like one. So it had to be one. He was nervous for the fact that his daughter was getting too close to the thing.

"I was right. There was a dinosaur in that warehouse" Connor said taking out his camera phone and snapping a picture "Whatever it is. It's classified until i figure out what the hell to do about it" Claudia snapped snatching the camera phone from him.

Just then a green lizard thing came out from the bushes in front of them all. Cutter shined his torch down upon him as he and Steven crouched down to get a better look.

"Bloody hell there's two of them" Steven said. As Kara looked down to see what he meant. Her eyes fell upon the little creature as she smiled

"Where did that come from?" Asked Nick

"Where ever it came from…It's so cute". Kara answered. She then turned her attention back to the Scutosaurus. As she tried again to get it to trust her enough so she could touch it.

Nick and Steven exchanged looks when Kara exclaimed that these two animals where cute. She thought everything was cute, all animals were cute too her, so why did these two dinosaurs make a difference. Claudia, Connor, and Abby watched as Kara stepped even closer to the Scutosaurus and touched the tip of its snout lightly. The animal moved its head back as Kara withdrew her hand. As she moved her hand back she felt something nudge at it, she was surprised to see that the Scutosaurus had actually moved towards her withdrawing hand and nudged her. Probably making sure she wasn't gonna hurt it. Kara smiled and run her hand across the scales of the dinosaurs face. Everyone behind her watched in amazement as the animal calmed down at her touch.

* * *

Later that same night

Kara stood infront of the Scutosaurus and was still stroking it. It had come to trust her and wouldn't let anyone but her near it. Steven was sitting against a tree and Connor was standing beside him. Both were staring at Kara and the Scutosaurus. Connor couldn't believe that there was an actual dinosaur infront of him. And Nick Cutters 18 year old daughter was the only one it trusted. Steven on the other hand wasn't that surprised. He had seen Kara befriend all sorts of animals. She could get just about any animal to trust her. He hadn't come across one animal that she couldn't get to trust her. She really did have a way with animals

"You know…This could win the Nobel Prize" Connor said suddenly breaking the silence. He had been doing that a lot recently.

"We don't even know what we're dealing with" Steven answered. As his eyes where trained on the teenager infront of him

"Like I said earlier…whatever it is…It's cute" Kara interjected

Steven shook his head as Connor started speaking again "Come on, It looks like a dinosaurs. It behaves like a dinosaur. It's a dinosaur. It's the missing link to the ancient past. And I discovered it" Connor said. Kara rolled her eyes knowing full well that Connor couldn't see it.

Even though Connor had pissed her off this morning. Kara could see that he was a really cool guy once you got to know him. He new what people where talking about and didn't ask annoying questions. Kara had gotten to know him well as they walked the forest searching for these dinosaurs.

"Steven! Kara!" Cutter shouted as lights flooded where Steven, Kara, Connor and the dinosaur where. No sooner had Nick's voice sounded he came into view. Abby and Claudia following behind. The Scutosaurus got scared and back up away from Kara. Steven got up from his seat as he and Connor gripped Kara's arms and pulled her out of the way as the dinosaur stomped off.

"Woah…where's it going?" Connor asked

"Let it go! Its scared" Cutter said as she stopped beside them. Noticing that both Connor and Steven had hold of Kara.

"You don't say" Kara said sarcastically as she shot her father an annoyed look for nearly getting her trampled to death by a dinosaur.

"Let's see where it thinks it's safe" Cutter said throwing Kara a 'Don't start' look.

The group followed until the dinosaur disappeared through a shiny thing. Kara stopped since she was in front. This caused everyone to stop behind her.

"Where's it gone?" Claudia asked. She sounded out of breath and a tad bit scared

"Home" Kara answered simply as she stared at the shining thing the dinosaur had disappeared through. She thought back to her mother and wondered if this was here when her mum disappeared. Maybe her mother was still alive somewhere on the other side. Different questions where running through her mind. She hadn't noticed her father approach her until she felt his hands on her shoulders. She turned to face him; his face held the same need for answers as her own did.

* * *

Claudia called in backup to secure the 'anomaly'. Cutter and Connor where just staring at it as more soldiers arrived

"Come on lads" a random solider shouted "Look lively"

Scientific equipment was taken out of two jeeps. Abby was sitting on a pile of it. And Connor was shouting.

"Hey guys…Look my pen" Connor shouted. Kara turned around just in time to see Connor's pen fly through into the anomaly

"That explains the compass going crazy" She said as she stopped beside Connor and watched as he let things go into the anomaly. She turned to look at him and smiled shaking her head. He looked at her and smiled back.

"What could cause a magnetic field so powerful?" Nick asked approaching his student and daughter

"Maybe it's an Alien Spacecraft" Kara said sarcastically. As she turned away and walked off.

She saw some soldiers unloading more jeeps and Abby sitting on a bunch of equipment as Steven approached her with a hot drink. Kara turned away. Questioning herself on why it bothered her. She had known Steven for over 12 years nearly. Why did it hurt so much when he flirted with other girls infront of her? Was she falling for him?

"How are you feeling?" Kara heard Steven ask Abby,

"Confused, Frightened, Exhilarated" she answered

"Snap" Steven said. Well flirted more like. Kara heard this and turned walking back towards her father, Claudia and Connor. Connor looked over her shoulder to see Steven and Abby talking and then looked back at Kara as she stopped beside him. Nick too looked at Steven and Abby then at his daughter. It then clicked. Kara liked Steven, but it looked like Steven liked Abby.

Abby looked up at Steven as she watched Kara walk away and stopped beside the group. She then noticed one of the Soldiers putting Rex, the lizard away in a cage. "You don't think they'll hurt him?" Abby asked watching them

"Of course not" Steven answered as he looked away from Rex to Kara. He sighed thinking about the feeling he had early. He had passed it off as protection for the girl but now he was thinking it was something more.

* * *

Cutter was talking to Claudia while Connor was letting things fly through the anomaly. Kara was standing beside him watching.

"Brilliant. Just Brilliant" He said with a chuckle "Oh no, that was my front door key" he grimaces as Kara laughed at him. He looked at her as she laughed. "Sorry" she apologized

Claudia walked away from Cutter and Steven walked towards him. He smiled at Kara who looked away from him. Connor saw this and turned to Steven who had a questioning look. Connor shrugged and turned back to Kara. Who had walked away from him also.

* * *

Steven, Connor and Kara where walking through the Forest of Dean. Steven was tracking; Kara was helping while looking around and Connor. Well Connor was tripping over things. Kara still hadn't looked Steven in the eye and he was getting confused by the minute by her change of behaviour. Connor seemed to know what was going on but why would Kara confide in a stranger than someone she had known for years. All this was going through Steven's mind whenever he saw Kara.

"Something large has been through here, recently" Steven stated

"Im not, um really outdoorsy" Connor stated "I have sinus issues and allergies. I'll write you a list"

Steven held a finger to his lips, indicating for Connor to shut up

"We can't rely on the army to find this thing. So just keep looking" Steven said "It's so close I can sense it" he added

"Shouldn't we just wait for the Professor" Connor questioned. This earned him a 'shut up' look from Kara and carried on walking.

Further into the forest Connor turned to Steven

"So…What do you think of Abby?" He asked hoping to find out if Steven liked her. He could tell Kara liked Steven and she wasn't happy that Abby had swooped in unannounced and started flirting with him.

Kara couldn't believe it, she had told Connor how she felt and that she figured it was more than friendship and here he was talking to Steven about the Girl who made her feel that no one liked her. She thought she could trust him.

"She's okay. Why?" Steven asked noticing the hurt look flash on Kara's face. For someone who was good at hiding their feelings she let that one loose.

"I was picking up some heat between us" Connor said "You get an instinct for these kind of things"

Kara relaxed she only saw Connor as a friend so she needed be jealous if he got with Abby

"I though you already had a girlfriend?" Steven asked

"She is more of a pen pal really. She, um…she lives in the Gambia" Connor said.

"That's practical for a night out" Steven continued,

"Yeah…So do you think Abby likes me?" Connor asked

Steven turned and stepped infront of Connor making him stop. Causing Kara to walk straight into him. Kara shot Steven a look she knew he couldn't read.

"Why don't you ask her yourself" Steven said

"All right…I might" Connor said

Steven started walking again. Connor looked at Kara then went into a daydream. Kara kicked a stone infront of her. When she looked up she noticed she had lost the boys. "Damn! Steven! Connor!" she called

Once she caught up to them, Steven was crouched over a really big footprint.

"Whats this?" He asked when Kara stopped beside him.

"If you want the scientific term…It's really bad news" Kara said looking around

Connor got out his laptop and Kara started wandering. Not to far so she lost sight of the other two.

"Okay" Connor said catching her attention. "My guess. The creature we found was some kind of Sc…Scout…"

"Scutosaurus" Kara said which earned her a questioning look from Steven. She shrugged and looked back at Connor waiting for him to continue

"Yeah," Connor said "Late Permian era. The footprint? Definitely not the same animal. If we're talking late Permian, then this little charmer is the prime suspect"

Steven stood up and went to crouch next to Connor who showed him the page.

"It's a Gorganospid" He said looking up at Kara "Kara?"

"Compact killing machine" She said "Incredibly powerful. Steven, it's still out there, and then you have to find it…Fast"

"What about you?" He asked

"You mighty hunter," Kara started "Me sidekick, and Connor, well, more logistics and…well…backup." She finished

Connor patted Steven on the shoulder as he stood up. Giving Kara a 'we need to talk' look before going off by himself to track the Gorganospid. As Connor and Kara headed off back the other way towards the anomaly and the others

* * *

Later everyone but Steven was at the anomaly site. It was raining and several tents had been set up. Connor was on the phone and Cutter was getting checked by the medic.

"Will you call Steven again?" He asked

"He's not answering… Kara you try" Connor said turning to face her

"Yeah, cause he really wants to talk to me" She said sarcastically, but she took out her phone anyway. Kara walked away from the group as they where prepping Cutter to go through the anomaly. She had tried to talk to her dad to let her go through with her but he had said no. She knew full well not to argue with him. After a while of not getting and answer Kara heard Connor drop his pen "Hey" He called "My pen…the magnetic field didn't take it"

"The anomaly's getting weaker" Kara said dryly. Trying Steven's number again

* * *

Cutter and Captain Ryan emerged from the anomaly again after a while and hit the ground. Everyone ran towards them to help them up. Everyone was talking above each other. Then a roar sounded from the trees. Everyone but me started to run. Military personnel towards the noise, civilian away from it as the Gorganospid runs out of the trees towards us.

"Oh my god" Abby shouted "Run!"

The soldiers started shooting but having really bad aim

"Moving target! Hold fire!"

"Clear the area!"

Everyone was running but Kara just backed up slowly. The Gorganospid tossed a soldier the turned to advance on Cutter and Claudia. It then got distracted by a car horn as Steven arrived in the 4x4. Kara sighed in relief she had thought something had happened to him. He met the Gorganospid in the head on a collision. It went down and the front of 4x4 was servely dented, to Kara's relief Steven got out unharmed. He walked towards a shocked Cutter and the Gorganospid eye opened and it roared.

"Steven! Catch!" Kara shouted throwing a discarded machine gun to him. He caught it and used it to kill the Dinosaur.

* * *

The next day Cutter was in an office at Home Office with a guy called Lester and Claudia. When he came out, Kara walked beside him as Steven, Connor and Abby all fell into step behind them. 

* * *

Later on Kara was sitting on her couch typing on her Laptop at home her father was still at the University. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door thinking it was her father who had left his keys at home she put her Laptop aside and answered it. To her surprise it wasn't her father but Steven.

"We need to talk" he said. Kara stepped aside to let him in.


	3. The Arthopleurid

Chapter Two

The Arthropleurid

A tube train, busy but not packed, pretty much everyone has a seat, but it's warm. People are fanning themselves. The train stops.

"London Underground apologizes for the delay, it is due to signaling problems at Parson Green." came the conductor's voice.

A girl got up and opened the window on the emergency exit to try to cool down. She stood there reading her book, when something tapped her on her neck. She turned to see a giant spider.

She slammed the window shut, slicing off one of the spider's legs. She screamed.

* * *

At the Central Metropolitan University.

Kara Cutter an 18 year teenager sat in her father's office with Steven Hart and her father going through some papers. She wore a knee length black skirt with a black strap top and knee high black boots to complete her looks, her shoulder length brown hair hung loosely around her shoulders.

"There's ten years of Helen's work here" Steven said breaking the silence.

"Keep looking" came Nick's reply

"We've read everything mum ever wrote dad" Kara chimed in

"Yes, I know Kara but we didn't know about the anomalies then" Said Nick. "There might be references to them in her work that we overlooked" he continued.

Kara and Steven exchanged looks silently questioning each other of Nick's new adopted behavior. Kara wanted to know as much about these anomalies as much as her father. From what her dad had told her last night about her mum showing up at the office it meant she was still alive.

"If she knew about it, she would have told you" Steven said looking away from Kara and back at Nick

Kara looked at her father and knew there was something her wasn't telling them. He had told her last night about her mum showing up at the office it meant she was still alive on the other side of the anomaly.

"Are you alright dad?" Kara asked

"Yea. Just haven't been sleeping very well" Nick answered, not looking at her. Kara and Steven shared look but didn't push on the subject. Kara stood up papers in hand; she placed them on her seat and walked out of the office. Steven watched her go then looked at Nick. He had noticed his daughter leaving. Moments later Steven copied Kara and left to find her. He had a feeling what she was going through. Her mother had supposedly been dead for 8 years and now she just turns up out of the blue.

Steven found Kara sitting in the courtyard listening to her I-Pod. Steven walked up behind her and slid her arms around her waist, Kara not expecting it of course jumped. She turned to look behind her and smiled as Steven sat down.

"Hey" He said

"Hey" Kara answered as she took her earphones out

"We never got to talk properly, the other night" He continued. When Steven turned up at Nick's place to talk to Kara about the feelings he was having they had been interrupted by Nick coming home. Nick was rather surprised to see Steven there with his daughter alone but didn't think anything of it. He figured Kara and Steven where after all just friends.

"Well…What do you want to talk about?" Kara asked, turning to look at him fully.

"I…" He started but was interrupted by his phone going off "Sorry" he apologized. He took out his phone and read the text. "We need to go, now"

Kara looked at him confused as he stood up and pulled her too her feet. He gripped her hand and pulled her back towards her father's office. The both entered and Nick looked up to see what was wrong. He noticed that their fingers where intertwined again. First they where in the Forest of Dean holding hands, then he caught them at his home alone. And now they where holding hands here. Nick was starting to think something was going on

"Text from Abby…Connor thinks he's onto another anomaly. They've gone to investigate" Steven said. Kara sighed she was about to tell Steven she liked him and hopefully get a response that he liked her too but Abby intervened again.

"Where are they?" Nick asked

"New Forest, She's not exactly sure where" Steven said, aware of the fact that Kara was avoiding his gaze again

* * *

Kara stood beside her father as he was talking to a police officer while Steven was looking at the dinosaur model that was used to prank Connor and Abby. The two in question where standing by the river looking apprehensive.

"Take care and make sure it doesn't happen again" The office said as she walked away. Kara looked at her father then at Connor and Abby before approaching them. Connor saw her walk towards him as Cutter went to Steven

"Look, I know what you're going to say" Connor said to Kara as she stopped infront of them

"We're sorry" Abby said standing up beside Connor

"The police aren't going to prosecute for trespassing…But supposing it had been a predator. What were you going to do? Tame it? You knew exactly what was at stake but you just couldn't keep your mother shut" Kara said looking at the two of them

"Its just so big…I have to tell somebody. Im sorry. I am. I blew it" Connor said almost pleading with her. He knew of Kara's attitude and he certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of it again.

"Go back to college. Get on with your work. Dad'll find you another supervisor" Kara continued.

"Im just as much to blame as he is" Abby said defending Connor. She didn't know what Kara's attitude was like so she didn't see what she was getting herself into when she pissed Kara off.

"Just as stupid maybe…But you didn't shout your mouth off and you've got skills we can use" Kara snapped at her. She couldn't believe she had told Abby she could stay on the project but she was right. Abby hadn't gone and shouted her mouth off to friends about the anomaly like Connor had.

Kara walked back towards her father and Steven, the three climbed into the car and left

* * *

At the hospital

Kara was standing beside her father with Claudia at the hospital. An underground worker had been attacked, he was pale, shaking and appeared to be having difficulty breathing. Dr. Lewis was talking Claudia and Nick, as Kara walked over to the worker.

"This kind of thing doesnt normally interest the government." said Dr Lewis.

"We like to keep an eye on violent crime, Dr Lewis. Especially when there's unusual circumstances." said Claudia.

"Well he was found this morning in the Underground." said Dr Lewis. "He'd been spraying the tunnels for vermin. Judging by the size of the wound, he's been attacked with a knife or an axe, but it makes no scene."

"Why not?" Kara asked turning around.

"It's not the wound that's killing him," said the Doctor. "It's poison."

"Are you suggesting that someone took an axe to him, and then injected poison into the wound?" Claudia questioned

"Venom" Kara said looking back at the worker

"As in snakes and insects?" Claudia questioned again. That's all she seemed to be asking right now was questions

"Venom," Kara said, looking at the worker again.

"As in snakes and insects?" asked Claudia.

"We are running every test we can think of, but the truth is we just don't know what we're dealing with" Dr Lewis said finally.

"Did he say anything before he lost consciousness?" Kara asked standing beside the workers bed

"He was babbling about monsters" said Lewis

Kara looked at the nurse as a silent way of asking to look at the wound. The nurse nodded and Kara turned her back on the group again she knelt down so she could examine the wound.

"Dad?!" she said

"What is it?" Nick asked looking over at his daughter as she examined the wound closer

"Single puncture mark, but it's not a knife and it's definitely not an axe…Looks more like a bite" Kara continued standing up again and returning to her fathers side

"From what?" asked Lewis

"Good question" Kara said with a confused look on her face

* * *

Outside of Kings Cross tunnels

Everyone stood outside of the tunnels Kara was watching Claudia talk to Ryan through the Radio he and his team where down in the tunnels, looking for the creature that attacked the Worker.

"They don't even know what they're looking for" Nick said from beside Claudia. Kara snapped out of her gaze and turned to listen to her father

"Well…there can't be that many different types of venomous predator under Aldwych" Steven said

"You should see the last tube home on a Friday night" Kara said sarcastically. Steven looked at her and smiled as Nick shook his head. He knew that when he stayed behind at the office, Kara would take the tube home alone. She hated staying at the college after hours it freaked her out.

Suddenly there was a commotion from behind them coming from the entrance of the Tunnel. Moments later Ryan and his team came running out shouting for a medic. Apparently something a spider had dropped down on the soldier that the medic was examining. The medic shows Nick and Steven the bite mark as Nick calls Kara over

"There were like spiders, but with pincers, not fangs" Ryan said as Kara stopped beside Steven.

"Some of them were over a meter long. Horrible little…" He trailed off as Nick interrupted him.

"Look…Tell me how you feel" Nick asked

"Sick…My ears are ringing…" Ryan answered

"Any blurred vision?" Steven and Kara asked together

"No. But there's something else…The gunshots were too bright, like fireworks" Ryan said looking at the three of them.

"Classic sign of excess Oxygen in the atmosphere" Kara said

Ryan then left them to prepare his men as Abby appeared on Steven's other side.

"A richer more heavily oxygenated air must be seeping through from another anomaly" Nick said picking up where his daughter left off. "We're not talking about the Permian Era anymore. This is much earlier" He added

"How much earlier?" Claudia asked walking up behind Nick.

Cutter looked at Steven who shrugged before turning to Kara. She sighed before answering "Maybe Carboniferous about 300 million years ago" Kara recited "We really need to see exactly what these creatures look like. I need to see it for myself."

"Okay. Go" Claudia said looking at Kara and nodding giving her permission to go into the tunnel

"Let's get some gear" Nick said as he placed a hand on his daughters shoulder and walked away with Steven and Abby behind them

When they had collected their gear Nick had tried to stop Kara going down only to have her snap. Kara never snapped at her father before. But this time he was trying to protect her she understood that. But if everything had happened to him what who was to protect her then. She had lost her mother she didn't want to lose her father also.

"Oh, you wear it well" Steven said to Kara as he looked her over in her suit. Kara smiled she always made black look good. "Thanks. You look good" She said as she gave him a sarcastic smile. Nick laughed along with Steven at this.

Turning away Kara saw Ryan walk up to them and offer her father a gun. She shook her head as she intervened "No…we need torches. The most powerful you can find" she said.

"Take night vision goggles" Ryan said taking the gun back and looking at her.

"Vision isn't the issue" Steven said standing beside Kara

"Well…the pest controller died a few minutes ago. They're running tests on our casualty now" Claudia said walking up beside Ryan. She turned to see Abby coming towards them adjusting her belt "What she doing?" she questioned

"Abby's got more practical experience with animals than the rest of us put together" Nick answered.

"I don't care of she's Doctor Dolittle…Sorry it's just too risky" Claudia retaliated

"I can help…I've just finished a study in insect behavior" Abby reassured

"Torches?" Nick asked, as he, Claudia and Ryan walked away

"Is that true?" Steven asked Abby as Kara turned away from them and started to follow her father

"Kind of…To tell you the truth, spiders aren't really my thing" Abby confessed. Kara rolled her eyes Spiders weren't really her thing either but she wouldn't let them get in the way of her job.

"Yeah. Well technically these are probably scorpions" Kara said walking away.

"That makes me feel loads better" Abby said sarcastically. Steven sighed as he and Abby followed Kara. Kara's attitude was back and Steven noticed that it only happened around Abby. He realized when Abby was around Kara wouldn't even look at him. Abby on the other hand hadn't noticed the change Kara had whenever she was around.

* * *

In the Tunnels

Kara, Steven, Nick and Abby entered the underground tunnels only with torches for protection. They entered the storeroom a spider was in there but the light from the torches scared it away.

"On the ground…That's what I though. Their sensitive to the light" Nick said shining his torch of a couple as the scurried out of sight.

They entered the room more, Cutter, Kara, Steven then Abby, there was another spider on the wall above them but they only noticed when it moved as Abby passed.

"Oh…does anyone have a really big slipper?" she asked as the spiders scurried away from the light of the torches

"I don't like this" Nick said as they entered another room. There were spiders scuttling around everywhere. They walked further into the room and Kara flinched as she heard Steven stand on one of them.

Abby ventured further into the room where she found a fence at the side, there was a large hole in it. "Cutter." she called.

Steven, Kara and Nick followed Abby through the fence where they saw the anomaly on the other side. The moved so they were all standing infront of it.

"Whats happening to us?" asked Nick. As they watched has several spiders run back through the anomaly into their own time.

Abby dropped her torch and turned to pick it up she notices something and straightens. "Guys!" she said. Kara, Steven and Nick turn and see the same thing she did.

"What is it?" she questioned

"I don't know." said Steven.

"It's not a spider." said Cutter.

"Arthropleurid," Kara said, earning herself weird looks from the others, "Giant centipede."

The four jump back as the Arthropleurid bursts out from behind a set of metal bins. Kara, Steven and Abby dive through the fence, but it blocks Cutter off from that exit. He throws a box at it and it momentarily backs off.

"Steven can you see it?" came Nick's voice. From the other side of the fence where the anomaly was.

"No!" Steven answered

The four hear a strange noise and look up to see it crawling across the ceiling above them.

"Steven!" Kara shouted, as Abby runs off.

Steven pushed Kara out of harms way and grabbed a box, throwing it at the Arthropleurid. It didnt back off this time Steven backed up has Kara gripped his arm. The two continued back up until they were backed into a corner.

Nick whistled and attracted its attention

"Go!" he shouted to Steven and his daughter

"Nick!" shouted Steven.

"Go, go." shouted Cutter, "Get Kara out of here!"

"Come on!" Steven said to Kara.

"No! Dad!" Kara yelled trying to get to father. She had already lost her mother she didn't want to lose her father also

Steven dragged Kara out of the tunnel and closed the door. Leaving Cutter alone in the room with the Arthropleurid.

"I can't believe you," Kara shouted at Steven. "He can't fight that thing on his own." She continued as tears ran down her face from her eyes.

"He said to get you out of here," said Steven, "And that's what I'm going to do." He said grabbing Kara's hands and pulling her out. He noticed the tears and pulled her into a hug

When they got out Claudia was trying to get Cutter on the radio. Kara saw Abby and glared at her for leaving. Abby watched Kara walk away from them. She had noticed the tears and knew what she was feeling it was her father still in the tunnel with that monster. Steven tried to grab Kara but she pulled away from him.

"Cutter? Come in." Claudia said, and then turned to Kara, Steven and Abby, "All I'm getting is interference. Look." she spread out a map to show them. "There's no other way out. This tunnel was blocked 30 years ago."

"What?" said Abby, "Then why isn't he back yet?"

"Look, he's got to be trapped, okay?" said Steven. "I'm going back in."

"No-one goes anywhere until we know what we're dealing with." Said Claudia

"He could be injured." said Steven.

"I dont want to leave him down there anymore than you do, but I'm not losing anyone else in this wild goose chase." said Claudia. "We dont even know for sure where he is. Did you see what kind of creature it was?"

"Kara named it." said Abby.

"It's an Arthropleurid," Kara said, "All I know is that it's a giant Centipede." She turned away after that.

"We don't know anything about it. No one does." said Abby.

"Connor does," Kara said, "He's like a walking encyclopedia of this stuff. He probably has giant bug fridge magnets."

"Okay," Claudia said, "I'll get him." She then handed Steven the map and walked away.

"Ryan," she said, "We need to get Connor."

"I can't leave him in there," said Steven turning to Kara.

"You can't go in there without back up." Kara started, her voice cracking slightly again.

"Watch me." he said, and he started walking.

"Steven," Kara called after him, he turned around to look at her. He saw the tears that were running down her cheeks again. "Don't do this. I don't want to leave dad down there. But I can't lose you either"

He looked at her then turned away and ran off back into the station.

* * *

"Steven?!" Kara called into the radio she didnt notice Claudia and Ryan walking up to her

"Steven?!" She said into the radio, "Where are you? Steven?"

"What's he done?" said Claudia as she stopped behind the teenager. Kara spun around and Abby gave Claudia a sorrowful look. Claudia then took the radio from them.

"Steven," she said, "Where the hell are you?"

"He was trying to help." said Abby and Kara together.

"Well, he's done a really great job, hasn't he?" Said Claudia, "Steven, come in. Steven? That's the problem with heroic gestures. Succeed and you look wonderful. Fail and all you do is leave everybody else with a bloody mess to clear up. Well done." She said passing the radio back to Kara. She turned to Ryan, "Get down there."

Kara and Abby watched Ryan and his men go then turned to see Connor below them "Connor" they called together. They seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

When Connor arrived he got his computer out straight away. Looking up possible creatures. Kara, Claudia and Abby were with him, looking over his shoulders.

"Okay," he said, "Carboniferous. So it's probably an Arthropleurid."

"That's what Kara said." said Abby looking up at Kara then back at the computer screen

"It's a centipede on steroids, basically." he carried on. "It's more or less blind, good sense of smell and touch. I mean this thing's pretty big and scary looking, but it's more or less timid. It's the kind of bug that'd stick to the kitchen at parties."

"This one must have a personality disorder." said Claudia. "How dangerous is it?"

"According to this," said Connor, "It would have fed off dead wood and leaves."

"So it's not poisonous," asked Claudia.

"No way," Connor answered looking up from the screen to the three behind him.

"That's a good thing then," Claudia said turning to the commotion coming from the entrance to the tunnel Soldiers arrived with Cutter and Steven. As Kara, Abby, Connor and Claudia rushed over.

"Medic! Stretcher!" shouted a soldier.

"Dad!" Kara shouted running into his arms as she hugged him tight. She then saw Steven

"Steven!" Kara shouted, running over with tears in her eyes. Someone pulled back Steven's collar to expose the wound.

"He's been bitten by the Arthropleurid." said Nick. "Same wound, same symptoms as the pest controller. We need to do something before it destroys his central nervous system."

"Poison?" asked Connor.

"The spiders are off the hook." said Nick. "It's a centipede that's the killer."

"Not poisonous you said?" said Claudia rounding on Connor for false information

"Look," said Connor, "I was only speculating."

"Tell them about Helen," said Steven, "She was there."

Kara heard Steven mention her mother and looked at her father for an answer. Claudia looked at Nick and spoke "Whats he talking about?" she asked.

"I have no idea" Nick answered. Kara studied her father and knew he was lying. Her mother was down there. Why didn't he tell her? Why would he keep this from her? It couldn't have been to protect her.

Cutter, Conner and Claudia fell back, away from the stretcher.

"You know," said Steven to Abby, "you look really beautiful."

"You're delirious," said Abby.

"Have dinner with me," he said,

Kara felt pain in her heart as she backed away from them with tears in her eyes. She had really fallen for Steven and he didn't feel the same way. He liked Abby. Nick saw his daughter backing up and walked over to her. He had heard what Steven had said and knew Kara had heard him. As they loaded Steven into the back of Ambulance, Abby jumped in with him. Kara figured that the talk he wanted to have the other night and this morning was probably to tell her how much he liked Abby.

* * *

Kara, Nick, Connor, Claudia and Abby where talking about how to save Steven who was in the hospital as they walked back towards the tunnels.

"Can't we run some more tests and find a match for the venom somehow?" asked Claudia.

"It would take to long," said Abby, "He's dying."

"No," Kara said, "The only way to shortcut the process is to collect a pure sample of the venom from the creature that bit him." Even though she liked Steven and he didn't like her back she wasn't gonna let him die

"How the hell are we going to do that?" Nick asked his daughter, "Ask him to fill a specimen jar?"

"In a way," she said, with a slight smirk. Nick looked at his daughter as he caught on to what she was saying.

"Oh come on," said Connor. Understanding also

"It's the only option." Kara said turning on him. She then turned to the radio, "Ryan, Ryan are you there?"

"First line's clear. Moving to second bunker." Ryan answered.

"Have you seen the centipede yet?" She asked over the radio, "If we lose it, Steven's dead. On no account let it return through the anomaly. Repeat, do not let it go back." She turned back to Connor, "Find me something that will do the job."

"What are you going to do?" Cutter asked from beside his daughter as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Kara turned to face him and spoke. Seriousness sparkling in her eyes.

"I'm going to invite an angry centipede to bite me," She said simply

They all entered the storeroom where Ryan and his men were standing guard. They went through the fence and over to Ryan.

"Bunker's clear," he said, "And it hasn't been through the anomaly on my watch. There's nowhere else for it to go. Either it's already gone through, or it's behind the door."

"We go in there," said Cutter, leading Kara, Ryan and two other soldiers through the door into the tunnel beyond as the others stayed in the bunker. "Keep your eyes open, this thing's fast."

The five of them checked through the tunnels, checking each dead end.

"Clear," said Ryan.

"It's gone back," said Cutter, "We must have lost it, Damn it."

The five returned to the storeroom. Nick stood infront of the anomaly talking to Claudia as Kara stood against the wall, hitting her head lightly against it.

Connor rushed into the room, "Professor!" he shouted, "I'd forgotten. Arthropleurid, they were supposed to be burrowers, so look for a hole, in the floor, in the walls, anywhere."

He goes back through the fence and the soldiers start looking. After a while Connor finds it behind a load of junk and does a little victory dance.

"Guy's I found it!" he shouted. Everyone rushed into the room. "I was right, it is still here."

"Good work." Claudia said to Connor as Kara stepped forward and examined the hole.

"How deep could this be?" Kara asked.

"A creature that size? 50 feet, maybe." Connor answered her looking skeptical at what she was going to do next

"Alright, fine," Kara said, "I'm going in."

"That's crazy," said Claudia, as she stared at Kara in disbelief

"There's no other way of finding out where it's gone." Kara said, shaking my head.

"I'm going to come too." said Nick and Conner at the same time. Cutter wasn't gonna let his only daughter go alone.

"Yeah," Kara said, smiling.

"Right," said Connor, as Kara walked off to find a bottle of turpentine.

"Here," Kara said, when she got back, "put this on your clothes. Its turpentine, bugs hate it. All right?"

Cutter, Ryan and Connor do as Kara told them then the four of them enter the tunnel. Cutter and Ryan have torches but Kara, and Connor didn't.

"I wont have a panic attack," Kara heard Connor say to himself, "I wont have a panic attack."

They came out the other end into an area that looked like an underground building site. The walls were concrete and there was a structure made of large steel girders, which were several stories high.

"Could it really have climbed up that?" asked Connor.

"Let's find out," Kara said. Ryan started to go up the stairs first, but Kara stopped him. "Just got to give it a chance to get to me first."

"Claustrophobia and Vertigo on the same day." said Connor, "This is, um, fabulous."

"Whatever happens, don't shoot until we've got the venom." Kara said over her shoulder to Ryan

The four got to the top story and there was a fence around the platform at the top. They went through a hole. This area was electrified. The Arthropleurid came down the girders as Connor knocked over a stool, Kara stepped forward.

"Come on, Bite me" Kara said, and it lunged at her. Kara raised her arm and as it released her. She stumbled into her father

Ryan shot at it but it had no effect apart from making it mad. It lunged at him and knocked him back. Connor grabbed the stool that he had knocked over earlier and he lunges at the Arthropleurid with it.

"Connor!" Kara shouted, the Arthropleurid grabbed hold of the stool and pulled it. "Let go!"

The stool was jammed in the Arthropleurid's mouth and it tried to get rid of it by thrashing around. The stool hit one of the electrified areas and the Arthropleurid was fried.

Nick, Ryan, Kara and Connor took a couple of deep breaths before Nick and Ryan started laughing in relief. Kara hugged a shocked Connor then pulled back her sleeve, revealing a plastic bag full of Arthropleurid's venom.

"Let's get this back to Steven." Kara said she said as they descended the stairs

* * *

At the Hospital

Kara was sat in a chair by Steven's bed in hospital. He was still unconscious but looking better.

"How is he?" asked Abby walking in.

"The convulsions have stopped." Kara said rubbing her eyes, she hadn't had any sleep. "That's something."

"You really like him, don't you?" Abby asked looking down at the teenager

"It's not like it matters," Kara said, "He likes you." She added getting up from the chair

"When has that ever stopped people from fancying each other?" asked Connor walking in.

Steven started to cough, and his eyes opened. Connor went to the door as Abby leaned closer to him and Kara stepped back.

"Doctor!" shouted Connor, "I think he's back." 

* * *

Later on that afternoon

Kara arrived at the hospital again later that day and saw Claudia and Steven talking. Steven was sitting on his bed with a book open and Claudia was standing beside him.

"I... I was gone, you know." Kara heard Steven say, "I don't remember anything. I was probably seeing things."

"Yeah," said Claudia, "Probably." Kara could tell she wasn't happy with the answer

She left and Kara walked in.

"What was all that about?" he asked her.

"You really can't remember a thing after you were bitten?" Kara asked, "None of the things you said outside of the ambulance?"

"What did I say?" he asked a confused look on his face

"Oh, just stuff." Kara said, "I just thought some of it might have stuck, that's all."

"Was it important?" he asked.

"Nah, nah." Kara said, "No, not really."

"I heard you risked your life to get the venom sample," he said.

"It was nothing," Kara said, "Really."

"Thanks," he said.

* * *

Kara smiled and nodded. She knew her father was still at the tunnels probably figuring out where her mother was. After a while she left the hospital to go pick her father up. She arrived at the tunnels and saw Connor. They entered the tunnels together and found Nick Cutter in the storeroom staring at the anomaly.

"Hey…does this mean im back in?" Connor asked as he and Kara entered the storeroom. Kara sat beside her father as Connor sat beside her.

"Is there anyway we can keep you out?" Nick asked turning to him. Connor smiled.

"You know I've always wanted to be in a crime busting team…and now I finally am" Connor said. Kara couldn't help but smile at him "You don't think you could give me a cool nickname do you?" he continued.

"No" Both Kara and Nick said together.

"Thought not" Connor said as he shrugged, got up and left them alone. Kara and Nick sat in silence until Nick stood up walked towards the anomaly and reached out his hand. Kara watched her father.

"Where are you Mum?" Kara questioned. Nick sighed and walked up behind his daughter

"What do you want Helen?" he asked.

Nick wrapped his arm around his daughter as they looked at one another then at the anomaly. Kara rested her head against her father's shoulder as questions on her mother's whereabouts and wants ran through her mind.


	4. The Mosasaur

**Chapter Three**

**The Mosasaur**

Anthony Barton, a male lifeguard drove into the pool. He and his girlfriend Diane Johnson, who was also a lifeguard, were using the pool after hours. Diane got out to change. As she was drying her hair, Anthony went to the diving bored again. A Mosasaur was swimming below him and lept up as he dove in. Anthony screamed as he was swallowed whole. Diane heard it and went to investigate.

* * *

Kara Cutter was in a conference room with her father Nick Cutter, Claudia Brown and James Lester watching and listening to Connor Temple reporting on the status of the Anomaly in the underground via a video link. She wore tight fitted black jeans, a black strap top with a black long sleeved jumped over the top. A black leather jacket and knee high black boots that had her jeans tucked into. Her shoulder length brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail with a two loose strands of hair hanging down either side of her face.

"The magnetic field is remaining content at five tesla" Connor reported. "At this point there is no sign of deterioration. Let me demonstrate." He held up a metal flask

"Who's that idiot?" Kara heard Lester ask her father.

"Connor Temple….He looks like a half-wit but he has a very good brain" Nick answered looking side ways at Lester.

Connor let go of the flash and it flew into the Anomaly "Woah!...Bulls-eye! That kills me every time" Connor exclaimed. Kara smiled at the video image of Connor he always made her laugh with his enthusiasm for adventure.

"We may stand on the brink of Armageddon, but at least we have an irritating student on our side…How reassuring" Lester said. Kara rolled her eyes at him and looked at her father out of the corner of her eye as he chuckled

"Is this thing still on?" Connor asked and the video link cut off. Kara laughed softly she could only imagine Connor's face.

"The previous anomaly proved temporary…As you've just heard, this is one shows no signs of weakening" Lester said as he walked away from Kara and Nick and sat down in his chair at the head of the table. Kara sighed as she shifted her weight from her one foot to the other. She really couldn't stand Lester and his attitude.

"The anomalies may be intermittent…and fade from time to time, but they never completely disappear" Nick said. Kara turned to her father as he explained.

"Well, if that were true…Creature would have come out before" Lester commented

Kara turned to Lester as he spoke to her father. She couldn't help but interrupt him as he commented on creatures coming through before. "Maybe they have" She said. Everyone including her father looked at her "Ancient civilizations have spoken of monsters and dragons. Perhaps they weren't as naïve as we assumed. The anomalies are conclusive proof that the past exists in a fourth dimension as real and solid as those we already know. Our job is to predict and contain them. We need to establish what…" Kara stated but was interrupted by Lester

"Thank you, Miss Cutter…We'll take it from here. The professor and his daughter are speaking in an independent capacity. Official policy is yet to be finalized." At that moment a woman walked in and gave him a note, "It seems we have another one." 

* * *

At the hospital

Later that day Kara and Abby walked into Steven's hospital room where he and Connor were talking. Naturally Kara always wore skirts or jeans so the boys didn't take much notice to her. But Abby who was wearing a skirt so the lads did a double take.

"Is that perfume?" Connor asked her surprised at her appearance.

"I can do the girl thing too, you know," she replied.

"Ooh," said Connor.

"You look really good," said Steven, Kara looked away from him at this point.

"Thanks," said Abby, clearly flirting.

"It's good of you guys to come." said Steven, looking at me, "But you shouldnt have bothered."

"Dont flatter yourself," said Connor, "Some of us just like hanging out with nurses."

"Come on," said Abby, "I'll give you a lift home."

"Oh, there's no need." said Steven, looking away from me, and at Abby, "My girlfriend's picking me up." He stated in a mater of fact tone. Abby's face fell as Kara turned to Steven

"Girlfriend?" asked Connor. Looking at both Abby and Kara. He figured Kara knew but it was clear Abby didn't.

"Allison," Kara said, smiling slightly, "She's been in the rainforest for two years researching infectious diseases."

"Let's hope she's not one of those girls who brings her work home with her," said Connor.

Kara shook her head slight at him and rolled her eyes

"Hmm," said Abby, "You must have missed her."

"Yeah," said Steven, "I'd better go." He said turning from Abby and Connor he looked at Kara for a brief second and turned for the door

"Tell Allison to call me," Kara called to him.

He turned around and smiled, "Will do," he said, then walked out of the room.

"Bye," Connor said, waving. "Two years. Wonder how much sex their going to have over the next few days?"

Abby threw a pillow at him and Kara laughed. "Sorry." Abby said upset.

"It's alright," Connor said sympathetically

"Well," sighed Abby, "So much for the girl thing." She said dropping down on the bed in which Steven sat last night

"I think you look great," said Connor, and Kara swore she could see him blush.

* * *

At the Scene

Later on Kara was standing by the swimming pool in a two piece wet suit talking to Captain Ryan. She heard Connor talking to Steven and decided to listen in on the conversation; Abby was kneeling behind them listening to them both.

"With all this chlorine in the pool, I'm surprised the creature came through." said Connor, "To a reptile it would have been like swimming in a bucket of acid."

"Yeah," said Steven, "It probably sensed the danger and got out fast before the anomaly closed."

After a few seconds Kara head Connor talk again, "So, how's Allison?" he asked at this Abby got up and walked towards Kara. Instead of stopping she walked straight past.

"Jet-lagged," Steven replied simply sorting out his goggles for his swim suit

"You see, it's funny," said Connor. "You always gave of the impression like you were single."

"That's funny." Steven said, "I didn't think I was giving any impression whatsoever."

"You'd be surprised," Connor said looking up at Abby

"Connor," Said Steven, as Kara started walking over to the pool, "I'm flattered, but you're really not my type." Kara giggled as he dove into the pool, then she laughed and jumped into the other pool.

* * *

At the Reservoir

When the team were at the Reservoir where they had found a large lump of meat on the surface.

Kara and Connor were making water levels when all of a sudden he started shouting.

"Professor! Professor!" he shouted.

Nick rushed over to them as Connor was poking a stick in the water. It had a piece of red tape around it part way up. The water didnt reach it.

"You're really going to want to see this." he said, "The reservoir's land locked, right?"

"Yeah," said Nick nodding.

"So, allowing for condensation and rainfall," said Connor, "The depth should be pretty consistent."

"Yeah," said Cutter, again.

"Well," Said Connor, "I made this mark at water level earlier," he showed Nick the tape, and then put the stick back in the water. "The water level's fallen 40 centimeters since then."

Steven ran up to the three of them as Kara spoke, "This isn't a reservoir anymore, it's a tidal lake. The water's literally pouring out."

"It must be flowing out through the anomaly," said Nick, the four of them all stared out across the reservoir. "Which means it's still out there."

After Nick had been talking to Claudia and noticed the steam out on the lake. Kara, Steven and Nick got into an inflatable boat. The three of them where wearing wet suits, along with other Special Forces divers

"I suppose there's no point in asking you not to go down with them." Claudia said addressing Nick, as the walked down the dock to the boat.

"You don't have to worry about me," said Cutter, smiling at her.

"I'm not," she said, "I'm just thinking about all the paperwork I'll have to do if you drown. No idea how many forms I'll have to fill in. What if you're right and that creature's still down there?"

"We'll find it, alright?" Cutter said and we set off in the boat. Claudia, Ryan, Connor and Abby watching from the pier.

When we got to the middle of the reservoir we put on scuba tanks and masks and dove into the water.

We done all the various checks and Nick gave the 'OK' sign.

We were all swimming together and Kara was thinking about how Steven had asked Abby out when he knew he had a girlfriend. All of a sudden the soldier that was swimming in front of them disappeared through the anomaly that we hadn't noticed. Kara stopped, causing the others to.

Kara made the 'UP' sign and we swam back to the boat to get the equipment. When they got the stuff Kara and Steven went back down to record the anomaly. Steven signed that he was going back up for something and Kara stayed there. After a while she felt a disturbance in the water and spun around. The Mosasaur swam towards her shaking its head and roaring. It was trailing blood behind it. It swam past Kara, completely ignoring her as soon as it swam through the anomaly it closed. Kara stayed there stunned for a moment before heading back up to the boat.

"What are you back up here for?" asked Cutter.

"Anomaly's gone," Kara said, getting in the boat and wiping water off her face.

When they got back to the dock everyone was fussing over a Mosasaur attacking Connor and Abby.

"Some kind of Mosasaur, maybe six or seven meters." said Connor, "Cretaceous, at a guess."

"Scary." said Cutter, as Abby was being checked over by the medic, "And at that size, it couldn't have been fully grown."

"Yeah," said Connor.

Kara turned around as Claudia walked over to her, her father, Connor and Abby with Steven trailing behind.

"They're all really upset about losing the diver." she said, "Tell me exactly what happened."

"He swam through right infront of us," said Nick, Kara and Steven nodded, "He should have been able to get back though."

"Something must have stopped him," Claudia said, and then she turned on Kara, "Are you absolutely certain the anomaly's closed?"

Kara nodded, "Straight after the Mosasaur went back through." she said truthfully, "The water temperature's already returned to normal."

"Then we've lost him," said Claudia.

"Yeah," said Kara, Steven and Nick at the same time.

* * *

At Home Office

After being at Home Office talking to Lester about the anomaly. Kara and Nick walked down the stairs to the entrance of the building. Kara looked up to see Steven at the bottom of the stairs facing the windows. Nick patted him on the back as he and his daughter walked past.

"Come on, lets go" Nick said. He and Kara carried on walking but stopped when they noticed Steven didn't move

"Go on...We'll catch up" Steven said to Kara

Kara was confused this was a first Steven had usually told her dad everything in front of her. Nodding nonetheless she turned and carried on walking down the stairs away from them. As she walked she could hear their voices. She heard her mothers name and knew they where talking about her. That's when Kara froze. "Does Kara know?" she heard Steven ask…There was nothing but silence until she heard her father "No…Are you going to say anything?" More silence. Kara strained herself so she could hear "No…It's not my call" Steven answered. There was then silence again and Kara could see her father and Steven descending the stairs. She sighed and left the building and stood beside her fathers car waiting for them

* * *

At the house

When they arrived at the House that everyone was at Kara started helping Steven unload gear from the back of the jeep, it was then she noticed him staring at her.

"What?" she asked lifting more gear from the jeep

"My memories back…Well, some of it anyway. Enough to know why you're angry at me" He said as he too placed more gear beside the jeep.

Kara looked away from him "Well. We've got a job to do Steven" She said not wanting to talk about it now. Especially after what she had just heard back at Home Office

"Can we at least talk about it?" He asked, with a slight desperate tone

"Look…I over-reacted. I've already forgotten about it." Kara said looking at him with hopefully a normal look on her face

"I remember and you forget. Typical." He said, getting angry. "Look, when I asked her, I thought it was you since we're always together. And I though, I was never going to see you again, I didn't want to die without you knowing that I liked you, you know?" He said stopping what he was doing

Kara bit her lip and looked away again "You should have been thinking about you Girlfriend" She said picking up an oxygen tank

Steven stepped forward as Kara returned for more gear. He put his hand on her face to make her look at him. "Yea, well the truth is…She and I, well. We don't know each other that well anymore"

"Well, now she's back…you'll have a chance to get reacquainted" Kara said looking up at him as he still held her face in his hand

"Kara" he said, his voice going lower and even more irresistible. "Im sorry"

"Look, there's no need to make a big thing out of it. I like you, you found out. That's all" Kara said pulling away she put the rest of gear behind her. She heard Steven close the back of the jeep and walk up behind her. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip softly on what she was about to do. _'It's now or never'_ she said to herself. When she had told him it was no big deal she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. She saw him walk away from her and towards the house

"Steven!?" She called. Steven turned to look at her as she walked up to him. She looked up and leaned in as he did the same. Their lips where almost touching when Kara heard her father calling them from the house. Kara pulled away and sighed and walked towards her father and into the house her father and Steven following behind

* * *

Inside the house

Lester, Ryan, and Claudia stood infront of Kara, Nick, Steven, Connor and Abby. Lester wasn't very happy, but then again when was he ever.

"The revelation that Helen Cutter's still alive changed everything." he said.

Kara lowered her head at the mention of her mother. Nick and Steven noticed as they both reached out and placed a hand on either of her shoulder.

"She's still alive? Um, how did I miss that?" asked Connor.

"Long story," said Claudia.

"So, eight years, she's been living in the past." he said, "My god. How are we going to explain Celebrity Love Island to her?"

Kara shook her head, "Shut up, Connor." She said looking back up

"She's eight years ahead of us in terms of understanding the anomalies." said Lester, "Her knowledge could be priceless and we have to share it."

"Which is fine if she was here." said Steven. "But she isn't."

"Which is why we're going to go and find her." said Lester, "We know she wants to make contact. She must be brought back here, by force if necessary."

"That's my wife you're talking about." Said Cutter angrily. Kara also tensed

"Which is why I want you to go through the anomaly and bring her back." said Lester, "You will of course have a military escort."

"To do what?" Kara snapped harshly. Ryan, Claudia, Lester and Abby stared at her they had never seen this side of Kara. Even Nick, Steven and Connor flinched and they had seen this side of her. Connor having been in Lester's postion on the receiving end of the harsh attitude of Kara Cutter. "Shoot her if she won't come back?"

"To protect them, both of them" Lester said to Kara who was glaring at him, he then turned to Nick. "The alternative is you sever all ties with the anomaly project with immediate effect, and we'll go and find her ourselves"

"Okay" Nick said. Kara's jaw dropped as she stared at her father in disbelief "On one condition. I go on my own. There's no question of force. I'll go my best, but if she doesn't want to come back then that's it."

"How can we trust you?" Claudia asked. It was Claudia's turn for Kara to glare at her questioning her father or trust.

Kara opened her mouth to say something but Steven glared slightly at her causing her to shut up. "Oh, I'm sure Professor Cutter won't let is down again." said Lester, "You will try and remember what side you're on, won't you?" Lester added

* * *

91 minutes, 41 seconds later

Kara was sat in the Kitchen of the house with her head on the table. Abby had a stopwatch; Connor was looking at some maps. A few minutes later Steven walked in.

"How long has it been?" Steven asked.

"91 minutes, 41 seconds." Abby said, Kara still hadn't lifted her head. She was thinking about how her father was doing with her mother on the other side of the anomaly. She had wanted to go with him. But was stopped not only by her father but by, Claudia and Lester. Claudia and Nick saying it was too dangerous and Lester just not really wanting for her to go through in case she helped Helen escape.

"The drains." said Connor suddenly, "Steven, in theory, a creature could make its way along the sewage system all the way to the river, and once there, it could go anywhere?"

"And?" said Steven, not getting it.

"Well, good news is the size of the drains rules out anything bigger that a small Mosasaur." said Connor.

"Well, how small?" asked Abby.

"Not small enough," said Connor.

At that moment Claudia entered the room with a bunch of guys who were pulling on wetsuits. Kara looked up with a confused and angry look on her face. Confusion from what was going on and Anger from not being able to accompany her father through the anomaly. "What's going on?" Kara asked, at the same time as Steven. Claudia closed the doors on them her eyes not leaving the group of four.

* * *

Two hours later

A bit later Steven went back down to the Celler to prepare to get Nick back. Kara, Abby and Connor sat in silence upstairs waiting.

"His time is up…Steven that's two hours, he'll be running out of air" Abby said over the radio to Steven

Kara stood up and went down to the Celler and saw Steven's worried look.

"He's lost his tank. Come on" Steven said as he and Ryan pulled him onto the platform

"Shit" Kara mumbled to herself and rushed down. She knelt beside her father "He's not breathing" She said as she started to perform CPR along with Claudia.

"MEDIC" shouted Ryan "Get some air into him" he said turning back to Kara and Claudia.

"Dad!!" Kara said as she pumped on his chest as Claudia blew some air into his lungs. When Claudia pulled back Nick started coughing up water and sort of started to wake up. Steven and Ryan supported him on either side and took him upstairs. A stretcher was brought to the top of the stairs and Nick was taken to a paramedic. Kara and Claudia left the Celler and stopped at the top of the stairs. Kara stood beside Steven as she gripped his hand.

"Was Helen there?" Claudia called

"Yeah" Kara heard her father answer slightly

"So she was there" She said, and then turned to Ryan "You know what do to"

"Lets go" Ryan said as he went downstairs, followed by a bunch of guys in wetsuits and scuba gear

"Who's this?" Steven asked as he held Kara close to him as if protecting her

"Sorry…It's out of my hands" Claudia said

"What?" Kara said stepping forwards but Steven pulled her back. Claudia turned and left the house, leaving both Kara and Steven standing in the hallway. Steven holding Kara close to him as she calmed down.

After a while Ryan came back up with the divers, two of them had hold of Helen. Kara and Steven were standing outside the house. When Helen passed with the divers she and Helen locked eyes. Kara opened her mouth to say something but her breath caught in her throat she hadn't seen her mother in 8 years and here she was now standing before her. Kara felt Steven pulling her back into him as Ryan's men took Helen towards the cars.

Helen saw Nick standing beside the Ambulance she shot him an accusing glare. Nick stood there looking shocked. Connor and Abby both looked nervous about the guns that were pointed at them.

"Mum" Kara said as she broke away from Steven and made a move towards her mother only to have a soldier grab hold of her to make sure she stayed where she was. Steven made a move to grab Kara only to have a soldier grab him and make him stay put too. Steven grabbed Kara's hand and squeezed it reassuringly to show everything was going to be okay. The soldiers put Helen in a car, Lester and Claudia got in another and they drove away with a police escort.

When they left Kara broke away from the soldier holding her back and she ran straight to her father. Nick wrapped his arms around his daughter as she buried her head in his chest. Tears in her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying. She guessed it was from seeing her mother; the same mother she thought died 8 years ago. Abby, Connor and Steven stood behind Nick and Kara watching the two. All three feeling sorry for them. Abby finally understood why the younger Teenager was always so cold and harsh when someone mentioned Hellen Cutter. Her mother.


	5. The Dodo

**A/N: Sorry about the delay, but I had writers block**

**A/N: ****Sorry about the delay, but I had writers block. I had everything I needed just needed to put the storyline together. Anyway here is Chapter 4.**

**Please review…and again im sorry for the late update **

Chapter Four

The Dodo's/Parasites

Home Office – Maximum Security Wing

Helen Cutter, armed with two SAS officers walked down the vast dark corridor to the questioning facility, where James Lester and Claudia Brown were awaiting her. Helen sat down on Claudia's left as Lester stood against the far wall. He started walking to his seat as Helen spoke.

"Presumably there are still laws against kidnapping?" she commented from her seat as she stared ahead of her at Lester's empty seat.

"Mmm. Though officially your dead…We can't have kidnapped someone who doesn't exist, can we?" Lester answered. "The only way you get out of here is by telling us everything you know about the anomalies" he added. It was more demanded than stated

"I'll tell you one thing…You're the spiting image of an Utahraptor. I once met in the Jurassic" Helen said a grin etched onto her face

Lester chuckled sarcastically, a demeaning look upon his face. Silence broke out between them as a SAS soldier approached Claudia handing her a note

"I'll take that as a refusal to co-operate, Shall I?" Lester said acknowledging the solider but staring straight at Helen.

"We got another one, in a block of flats in the City Centre" Claudia sighed, her arms folded over her chest as she turned her gaze onto Helen looking for a reaction from the woman.

"Happy now?" Lester questioned

Helen cast her gaze away from Claudia at the man opposite her

* * *

City Centre

Captain Ryan led his team out of the back of a Silver Home Office van and into the Flats block. Nick Cutter, Kara Cutter, Stephen Hart and Connor Temple appeared in Nick Cutter's 4x4 Silver pick up several minutes later.

Nick Cutter entered the building first closely followed by his daughter and team. Kara looked over her shoulder when she heard a clang from outside and turned to see Stephen ginning.

"Fluke" Connor said from behind Stephen. Kara figured Stephen had kicked the group of kid's ball at one of the metal stands, causing Connor to think it was luck. Kara knew different though. She knew Stephen was good at Football.

"Jealous" Stephen answered. Kara rolled her eyes at them both and run after her father up the steps.

Three floors up the SAS soldiers stopped at Mrs Davis's door and knocked; once she answered she let them in as they crowded around the closed bathroom door.

"I didn't expect the SAS" Mrs Davis said, standing beside a solider her arms crossed over her chest

"The town council takes Pest control very seriously, Mrs Davis" Nick said nodding in her directions as he stood infront of the bathroom door. His daughter was behind him and beside Stephen.

"Are you ready?" Kara asked Ryan. He nodded in reply as her father opened the door and the soldiers flooded into the room their guns drawn. Kara, Nick and Stephen followed as Connor stood in the doorframe

In the middle of the floor lay a Python hissing at everyone. Kara laughed in relief as she turned "Relax everyone, it's only a Python" she said looking at her father who was laughing also.

"Only a Python" Mrs Davis screamed from the hallway, causing everyone to turn "What the hell where you expecting?" Kara noticed Connor as he raised his hand to his ear.

"Ow" He said, he had been standing right beside Mrs Davis when she screamed. Kara winced slightly and gave him a Sympathetic glance.

* * *

Nick Cutter followed his daughter down the steps away from Mrs Davis apartment talking on his Mobile to Claudia Brown who was back at Home Office questioning his wife on the anomalies. Ever since Helen had been brought through the anomaly and taken to Lester, Nick knew it had affected Kara. She hadn't said a word about anything since she saw her mother after 8 years of thinking she was dead.

Kara had said the odd word or two but she hadn't mentioned her mother at all. Nick could see the look on her face when she tried to reach Helen, that day but was held back. She had run straight to him as soon as she was clear from the SAS solider of Lester's. He knew how she felt, she felt betrayed. She thought he mother was dead when she was actually alive on the other side of the anomaly. The reason he knew his only daughter felt this, was because he felt it too.

"Do you have any idea how many times, I have tried to call you today" Nick asked through the receiver of his mobile

"_I've been busy, and actually you should be thanking me your still involved at all" _Kara heard Claudia say from the other end of the conversation

"You can't get rid of me, you need me" Nick said as he watched his daughter step off the last step and walk to the exit.

"_Truth is we need each other. Now more than ever" _Claudia answered. Kara smiled knowing her mother was the reason behind that answer.

"I hope mum's driving Lester crazy" Kara said over her shoulder at her father as she walked out to the Silver 4x4 pick up truck. Nick smiled at his daughters answer as he was thinking exactly the same thing.

"I hope she's driving Lester crazy" he said through the phone, voicing his thoughts and his daughters comment.

"You better get over here now" Claudia answered as she hung up the phone. Nick pocketed his mobile and walked out to the car where his daughter was seated in the passenger's seat listening to her music. Nick frowned at her, knowing she wasn't going to speak on the way back to Home Office.

* * *

Stephen's POV

"Don't worry, this ones just a baby. Fully grown, they can be up to 20 feet long" Connor said from behind him as he read off his lap-top screen. He was holding the snake at arms length trying to keep it away from him.

"That makes me feel so much better" He said looking down at the snake as it hissed from being handled.

"Are you okay?" Abby asked him laughing slightly

"Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I love snakes" he said handing the snake over to Abby. Who laughed taking it from him. "We're going to need a bigger sack" he said turning and leaving the room.

"Stephen" he heard Abby call behind him.

When he got to the top of the stairs he noticed Kara and Nick descending them. His eyes rested on the 18 year old girl, she wore an all black outfit which consisted of tight fitted black jeans, a black long-sleeved T-shirt and black jacket. Her waist length black hair hung freely down her back and was swinging as she walked down the steps.

Stephen watched as Kara and Nick walked away from the Flat leaving him, Connor and Abby to deal with the Python. Kara had barely talked let alone looked at him since the day they had almost kissed and her mother was brought back through the anomaly. Nick had said that she hadn't spoken to him either. And every time he brought the subject of her mother up she would walk out of the room and go to her room

He watched as she walk away from her father and out to the Silver truck putting on her head-phones waiting her father. They where heading back to Home Office since Helen and requested she speak to Nick. Stephen knew Helen would get the shock of her life when she saw Kara walk in with her father and not alone as she requested.

Sighing he grabbed a bigger sack and turned back to Mrs Davis's flat where Connor and Abby where. He re-entered the Bathroom and held out the sack

"How's this?" he asked Abby

"That's good" she replied placing the snake into it. Stephen closed the bag on the hissing snake as Abby spoke "Right. I'll see you in a minute"

"Where you going?" Stephen questioned looking up at her as he stilled held onto the bag that now contained the Python

"Tea break" She answered walking around Stephen and out of the door.

Stephen watched her go before looking at Connor who backed away slightly and looked from him to the bag and back again "I aint touching it" he said

End of Stephen's POV

Kara Cutter sat in the passenger's seat of her fathers Silver Pick up as they drove back to Home Office. She had just come back from a false alarm on an anomaly. She and her father had left Connor Temple, Stephen Hart and Abby Maitland in charge of collecting the Python. She trusted them with this simple job; beside she really wanted to see her mother.

As her father drove, her mind wandered to her mother, she had many questioned running through her mind that she wanted answers for. She wanted to know why her mother stayed away for all that time. Why she made her daughter and husband think she was dead? Why didn't she come back? What had she and her father done to make her mother stay away for 8 years?

As they stopped outside, Home Office she climbed out of her father's truck removing her head-phones and placing them in the pocket of her black jacket. 

"Kara, I know your upset but it's not your fault okay" Nick said breaking the silence between himself and his 18 year old daughter. Kara looked up at him and nodded smiling slightly as her father hugged her before the entered the building together.

Nick and Kara entered the questioning facility, in which Helen Cutter sat awaiting her husband. She didn't know her daughter would be with him but figured she would knowing Nick. He wouldn't have let Kara out of his sight.

Kara stopped short when she saw her mother; she didn't know what to do. She wanted more than anything to run at her and hug her tightly. Having missed her for the past 8 years. But part of her was angry at her for leaving her and her father for the past 8 years. Finally she sat silently beside her father staring down at the table.

"Are they looking after you properly?" Kara heard her father question. She didn't look up at her mother, just waited her for her to answer

"If you cared about that you wouldn't have set me up in the first place" Helen answered. Kara couldn't believe her mother had just accused her father of setting her up. She couldn't help the words that stumbled out of her mouth

"He didn't set you up" she stated finally looking up at her mother. She saw her mothers eyes flash towards her away from Nick. Nick grasped his daughters hand and squeezed it trying to calm her.

When Helen didn't answer just stared at her husband and daughter look of disbelief on her face. She didn't believe what Kara had said, in her eyes Nick had travelled back through the anomaly and minutes after he left soldiers had gone to retrieve her and bring her back.

Nick sighed shaking his head "Okay. Believe what you like" He said as silence filled the room. Helen turned her gaze away from the two people she loved and looked around the barley let room. She could feel a pair of eyes on her and figured they were her daughter's.

"They're listening to every word, aren't they?" Helen asked turning back to Nick

"Oh, we don't know. Probably" Kara answered before her father. Nick could hear the anger lacing her words. He didn't understand his daughter sometimes. Sometimes she could be really upset and the next really angry then two minutes later she was fine.

"I need you to get me out of here" Helen stated leaning forward slightly. Kara swore her mother had pleaded with them to get her out. But she knew her mother didn't plead with anyone. The only time she did was when Kara was younger and they where having fun.

"Well, then tell us what you know" Nick shouted, causing Kara to jump, She had been lost in her thoughts she had zoned out forgetting she was in a room with her parents. "Tell us where the anomalies are. Tell us why they're happening…Then maybe we can help you" he asked rapidly

"Right now, Why, is the least of your worries" Helen answered the two questions in one short answer

"Your see, what does that mean?" Nick questioned again. He noticed Kara had gone quiet but he was glad of that he didn't want her argue with her mother right now, they had bigger problems

"You want me to help" Helen said looking around at the camera's in the room before looking back at her husband "All right, I'll help…Unless you act within the next few hours, a pride of sabre-toothed killers will be rampaging through Central London"

Both Kara and Nick's eyes grew wide at the words that came from Helen. Kara looked from her mother to her father then back again trying to process what she had been told.

Once out of the Questioning room, Kara sat beside her father and infront of Claudia and Lester. To her right was a huge glass window that showed her mother in the questioning facility she and her father had just come out of with answers.

"Smilodon. Its literal meaning is 'Knife-tooth', they're up to three meters long, they have sabre teeth. They hunt in packs. Their ruthless predators…Now according to Helen, a large pride has established its territory near an anomaly and it's only a matter of time before they find their way through" Nick Cutter informed Claudia and Lester on what Helen had just told them

"London's a big place. Where exactly is this going to happen?" Claudia asked

"Well, that's your problem. She won't tell us. She wants to take us there herself" Kara said standing up and facing the window

"It's a trick" Lester said shortly

"I agree" Claudia agreed

"That's possible" Kara heard her father said from behind her

"But maybe, mum wants to prove to you that she's not as callous as you imagine" Kara said not looking back at anyone

"Well she can do that without moving a muscle" Lester said staring at the teenager.

"Look, my mum might be selfish…but she's not evil" Kara said finally turning away from the window and staring at Lester with dislike

"We know her" Nick said standing at his daughter's side, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He also held her shoulder to hold her back, she had already let her temper out of Lester and the last thing Nick needed was his daughter fired from the operation

"You mean you both used to know her" Claudia stated. Nick felt Kara turned and round on Claudia. He gripped her shoulder tighter silently asking her to clam down

Nick stared at Claudia, as Lester spoke breaking the short silence.

"I think I trust her about as far as I can throw a Stegosaurus" Kara glared at him knowing he didn't trust any of them. And she didn't trust him not one bit.

"Okay, then the consequences of doing nothing could be massacre" Nick said trying to reason with the two. Too let Helen take them to the Anomaly site herself. Kara relaxed but she didn't let her guard down

"I don't know how you explain that to the Tourist Board" Kara finished. She knew that when she and her father teamed up there was no arguing, people would see reason.

* * *

Helen Cutter followed her daughter and Husband out of the Home Office building. She was placed in a black car with SAS Soldiers along with Claudia as Kara climbed into the passenger's seat. Leaving Stephen, Abby and Connor in the back of her father's Silver pick up. Nick started the car and followed the Home Office cars to the Football stadium where Helen said the new anomaly was.

Once they got there everyone piled out of the cars and entered the stadium. Kara kept close to her father all the way

"Here?" Claudia asked. As Helen led everyone out onto the Football field

"Do exactly as I say and this doesn't have to be a disaster" Helen said as she walked along the edge of the field to the under ground kitchens of the stadium. The SAS soldier's fanned out around Helen making sure she got out as everyone else followed Helen.

She stopped and turned to stare at a freezer ahead of her. Kara stopped beside her father and jumped up to sit on top of one of the tables. Stephen stood beside her and Abby beside him. Kara noticed how close Abby was trying to get to Stephen; if only Abby knew what had happened between them…but then she would probably try twice as hard to get Stephen.

In Kara's eyes, Abby didn't like rejection from the guy she wanted, and she didn't let anyone or anything stand in her way.

"In there?" Claudia asked as she looked at the grin on Helen's face as they faced the freezer

"Yup, in there" Helen confirmed

"Connor?" Claudia called. Connor turned and looked at Nick who nodded his head. Connor approached the freezer doors with the compass to see if anything would happen to show that the magnetic field was there. Nothing did happen.

"There's no trace of a magnetic field" Connor said looking up from the compass and turning to face the others

"The doors are too thick. It can't penetrate the metal" Helen said turning away from looking at Nick and her daughter. Kara was staring at the floor and not looking at anyone. She wasn't the 10 year old Helen remembered. She had grown. Grown into a young teenager who was good at hiding the feelings she didn't want others to see

"Is that true?" Claudia asked turning to Nick for confirmation

"Possible" Both Nick and Kara answered. Causing Kara to look up at her father and smile softly

"Watch her" Claudia said as she approached the freezer. Captain Ryan stood up next to Helen his gun in hand.

"Hey! What if the cats have already come through?...They could be right behind that door" Helen said startling everyone.

"You know what, she's really starting to get on my nerves" Claudia said turning to face Helen

"I can understand that" Nick said. Causing Helen to face him. Kara laughed gently as she saw Stephen crack a smile

"You're bluffing" Claudia said trying to catch Helen out. Kara knew her mother was lying.

"Try me" Helen challenged

"Stephen" Claudia said. Ordering Stephen to open the door to check if the anomaly was there

Stephen approached the door and pulled the lock up. He didn't know the combination to open it so he dropped it. Turning around Helen pulled out her knife and handed it to him. Kara noticed a sly smile on her face as she did so. Stephen slipped the knife through the chain and handed the knife back to Helen. He tried to open the door finding he couldn't on his own. Captain Ryan stepped forward and helped him.

As they did this, everything metal started to fly towards the freezer as the anomaly came into view

"Get down" shouted one of the soldiers as something flew over their heads. Stephen turned and grabbed it before it hit Connor in the head. "This is where you duck" he said. Connor mumbled an 'okay' and hit the floor like everyone else. Kara had dropped from the table and landed on her knees beside her father. Nick had his arm around her shoulder keeping her down and out of harms way

"You'd make a terrible Poker player" Kara heard her mother say to Claudia. Claudia simply glared at her and turned back to the anomaly. Kara could feel the tension between the two women

After everything metal had passed through the anomaly everyone resumed their positions on their feet. Kara jumped back up onto the table beside her dad.

"Anybody hungry?" Connor asked turning around with a pie in his hand. Kara felt herself pale at this and it didn't help when her mom spoke her thoughts.

"Oh, my God. We've got to get rid of them…The meat will act like bait" Helen said making a move forward but was stopped by Ryan. "Unless you want your men to be breakfast I suggest you do something" she said gripping his arms trying to break away from him

Nick looked at Kara telling her to stay put and run forward, he entered the freezer and past boxes of pies to different people. As he pushed one of the trolleys out, Helen took advantage of the no security around her and run for the anomaly.

"Bring her back" Claudia shouted as Ryan run after her

"Mum" Kara shouted as she too run through the anomaly after her mother

"Kara, Helen" Nick shouted as he tried to follow his daughter and wife, but was stopped by two soldiers. He looked at Stephen who was holding onto a trolley. Nick pushed one of the soldiers away as Stephen followed Kara.

Claudia looked at Nick and shook her head thinking he had let Helen escape, because he tried to follow her

* * *

"I told you to stay put" He said to his daughter. Kara looked back down at the floor. She only followed her mother through, she didn't want to go with her, just try and stop her. Nick always treated her like a child never the 18 year old she was.

Nick looked down at his daughter, he sighed as he saw she wouldn't even look at him. "Kara..." he started but she walked away.

Two minutes later Nick stood around the small lap-top staring at what, Ryan, Kara and Stephen had seen on the other side of the anomaly. Kara still wasn't looking or speaking to her father and sat a little further away from the rest.

"Its incredible" she heard her father mention

"The Spaghetti junction of anomalies" Connor stated causing her to smile at his answer.

"There's no way we could have followed her. It would be like running into a wall of mirrors" Stephen said glancing up at the saddened teenager

"Let me guess. Not one sabre-toothed cat in sight" Claudia commented staring at the screen then at Nick

"Not even a Kitten" Stephen confirmed

"You tried to follow her" she said turning on Nick "And you did" she said turning to Kara who glared hard at her

"We tried to stop her…What possible reason could we have for wanting her to escape…we want answers more than anyone" Kara snapped her gaze not moving from Claudia. Everyone turned to the teenager who finally returned her gaze to the floor

A chirping sound brought everyone back to the anomaly including Kara

"Incoming" Ryan said him and his team aiming their guns at the anomaly waiting what ever came through

Chirping and Squawking could be heard from the other side of the anomaly, and Kara knew a bird like creature was gonna come through. Suddenly a Dodo jumped through and landed infront of them. Kara gasped and laughed at the flightless bird as it run circles around her and everyone else as more jumped through. She laughed as she tried to follow them

"Round them up, everyone. Don't let them get out" Nick ordered as everyone scattered off in different direction's trying to grab the dodo's. Stephen, Abby, Connor and Kara closed in on one trapping it under a bucket. Once all the dodo's had been caught the team placed them in what seemed to be the office. Kara sat in the middle of the room with the Dodo's around her, she reached out to touch one as another jumped from the chair into a pile of boxes, she laughed looking behind her

"Their great" she commented looking up at the rest of the team and her father, she was smiling more now than she had all week.

"Dodo's?" Claudia asked from behind everyone as she watched Kara with the Dodo's

"Aww, their so cute" Abby commented from the door as she watched Kara play with the dodo's

"And so dumb" Connor said staring at the scene before him

"Their not dumb, just trusting…it's not their fault they became extinct" Abby said over her shoulder at him

"Funny, you weren't this sentimental about the Gorganospid"

"Is that the lot?" Claudia asked as she watched Nick cross the room to where his daughter sat

"Yup, that's it" Nick said crouching down beside Kara

"We better ship this lot back before we upset Darwin" Kara said looking up and then back at the dodo's "So everyone…um….grab a dodo" she said with a sigh and a smile as she pushed herself off of the ground and back up onto her feet

"Go on" Nick said as he and everyone else got the Dodo's through the anomaly.

Kara noticed that one kept squawking at its reflection in the tray Stephen was holding. Abby was beside him

"They're so cute!" Kara heard Abby say. 

"I see Connor's moved in" Kara heard Stephen mention. Her heart sank as she figured he was jealous that Connor was living with Abby

"Just until he finds a new place" Abby answered, Kara turned away from them and walked away she didn't look back but she could feel someone's eyes on her and she figured it was Stephen

Stephen sighed when he noticed Kara walking away; he knew she had heard him. He had worked out his feelings for her and he figured he liked her as more than a friend, so why was he curious about Connor moving in with Abby. He didn't want to hurt Kara by giving her the idea that he was interested in Abby when he wasn't.

"Come on" one of the soldiers said to the last Dodo

"Hey, hey. Wait" Nick said holding his hands out as the Dodo stopped then waddled back through the anomaly

"Professor…we have a Dodo down" Ryan announced from behind them. Kara turned and saw that there was a dead dodo lying just at the door of the room where she sat with them. She sighed sadly as she knelt beside the bird and stroked its feathers

"Oh, how did that happen?" Abby asked.

"Maybe it ate one of the pies" Connor said trying to make a joke, but all he received where looks from the rest of the team "Sorry" he apologized

"Poor little guy" Kara mumbled still looking at the Dodo

"We should do an autopsy to see how he died" Kara heard her dad say from beside her. She looked up slightly to see both her father and Stephen where crouched beside her and the dodo

"Could have been the shock" Stephen offered an explanation

"Well, we've been through and we're all right" Kara said glancing up at him

"As far as we know" Stephen said catching Kara's eye.

He could swear he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes, and he figured that was from one thing. Helen. Kara had found her mother only to lose her again. He figured there was only so much Kara could take. No one understood how she felt, no one only Nick and himself.

"Cutter? The anomaly's fading" Connor said breaking Stephen and Kara's trance-like state.

* * *

Back at Home Office

Once everyone had returned to Home Office, Lester was furious that Helen had escaped. He also wasn't happy when he heard Kara had tried to follow her, what he didn't expect on was Kara snapping back at him furiously when he started on her.

Now here she stood in the autopsy room with, her father, Stephen and Abby. The dead dodo on the table in front of them.

Nick moved forward to cut the bird open when it kicked out. Everyone jumped back in surprise

"Whoa, Whoa" Abby and Kara said stepping back

"It's…Its muscle spasm" Stephen said thinking of a logical explanation

"No. It's been dead for hours" Nick said as everyone moved back into place

"Okay" Nick said going to cut the bird open again.

Suddenly its beak open and something large slipped out and onto the floor. Abby back away along with Stephen and Nick. The parasite-like-thing advanced towards Kara as she backed up away from it. She backed herself into a corner as the parasite kept advancing

"Stephen…grab that" Nick said making a move for his daughter

Stephen placed a glass jar over the parasite as it jumped at Kara. The four knelt down infront of the jar to look at the animal. It squealed as it tried to get out.

* * *

After finding the parasite, Lester was called to look at it. He kept his distance from the creature

"It looks like some type of Larva" Stephen commented looking down at the parasite

"Nope. It's an adult" Kara said picking up the parasite and examining it. She passed it to her dad who passed it to Stephen.

"It's some kind of giant Cestoid" Nick said as he examined it

"It's destroyed the internal organs and attacked the central nervous system" Kara explained

"I thought the trick of being a good parasite was to live off the host creature without killing it" Lester asked as Stephen showed him the parasite before placing it back on the plastic tray

"No this one doesn't compromise" Nick answered

"It enters the bloodstream as Larvae. It feeds off the host, and then moves up the body to lay its eggs" Kara took over from her father

"Keep itself alive just long enough to reproduce itself" Stephen added

"And then mission accomplished, they both die together" Kara finished

"Isn't nature wonderful?" Lester muttered

* * *

Autopsy Room - Kara's POV

Kara placed all the necessary equipment that she would need when her father and Stephen returned. Her father had just called to explain that they had found the Dodo that bit Tom. Connor's mate. And they where bringing it back

When her father returned he handed Kara the dodo and left for a brief meeting with Lester. Kara could tell he was relieved that she wasn't going to be there, he wasn't sure how she would react to Lester today.

Looking from the Dodo, Kara sighed. Her mind wandered back to her mother and the unanswered questions she had raced through her mind again. She placed the last of the equipment on the table as she placed on her white gloves.

Feeling like she was being watch, Kara stopped what she was doing and looked behind her; she could see the figure of someone. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked turning around completely

"They're after me. I need…I need proof. I need your help" she heard someone say.

She moved forward and pulled back the curtain. "Aren't you…" she trailed off

"Im… Im Tom" said the guy

Kara felt herself pale as she turned away and moved back inside the curtain. Tom followed her "Are they watching us now?" he asked.

"No one's watching" she answered with a shake of her head

"So whats really going on with these things, huh? Hmm?" Tom asked as he switched off the light and indicated to the dead Dodo

"Tell me" he half-yelled "I don't feel very well, Okay?" he added as he lay his head in his arms on the table

"Tom, just take it easy, yeah?" Kara said sympathetically as she moved forward toward him

"Wait, whoa, whoa…Don't come near me because I don't want to hurt you, see, and…I will" he said holding up his hand stopping her in her tracks "Its not my fault…what have you done to me" He added as he lowered his head, before raising it again as his eyes changed to a light blue.

Kara screamed and run from the room as Tom followed her

* * *

Home Office - Nick's POV

Back at Home Office, Stephen, Nick sat in the Questioning room with Connor and Duncan.

"Okay. When Tom's in trouble, what's his first reaction?" Nick questioned

"Tom doesn't get in trouble" Connor stated

"He's not that sort of bloke" Duncan added

"Then put yourself in his shoes. What's…what'll he be thinking? Where will he go?" he asked

"He'll be trying to find out what this whole conspiracy's about" Duncan stated

"There is no Conspiracy" Stephen exclaimed

"So whats all this then? Meeting of the local Women's Institute? The CIA? The freemasons? The Illuminati? You people are always hiding the truth. Tom was right about everything. That's why we put the transmitter on you" Duncan said turning to Connor

"What? You bugged me?" Connor asked turning to his mate "Course you did. Because that's how you found the Dodo, right?" he added

"Well, you were the one with all the secrets. SWAT teams, Girlfriends…" Duncan exclaimed

"Duncan, do us a favour, tell me where it is" Connor asked cutting his mate off

"Its on your bag. Inside Roswell" Duncan confessed

"You sneaky little…" Connor started but was cut off by Nick

"Wait, wait…how did you track it?" Nick asked

"Tom, modified the Sat Nav on his Palmtop" Duncan explained

Nick got up from his seat and walked around the table towards Connor "Well, then he's going to come here. If Tom wants answers he's going to follow the transmitter! He's coming to you" he said patting Connor on the shoulder

"No not quite. The dodo swallowed it" Duncan stated

"The transmitter's inside the Dodo" Stephen started

"Yeah" Duncan nodded

"And the Dodo's with Kara…You idiot. You've turned her into bait" Stephen exclaimed standing up. He grabbed his jacket and left Nick following behind him.

* * *

Kara's POV

"Tom, look. Im not going to hurt you, Okay?" Kara said as she re-entered the room she had just left. She run to the end of the table where the Dodo was as Tom followed behind her "You've just got to really calm down" she added

"Am I going to die?" Tom asked

"No…we won't let that happen" Kara said shaking her head. Even though she wasn't sure how they wouldn't

"We? Who's we? What have they done to me?" he asked "What are they growing inside me?" he added

"The dodo bit you. And gave you an illness" Kara half-confessed

Tom laughed softly "Do you think I'm an idiot…Dodo's are extinct. They not…You know, just...Just tell me the truth. What are they really doing" he said as flashbacks of previous hours flashed through his mind

"Come on, let me get you to the hospital" Kara tried to reason with him

"So you can put another thing inside me?" he asked

Kara watched as his eyes changed colour again as he advanced on her. "Come here!" he said as he grabbed her wrist

"Get off! Get off!" she shouted pulling away from him

"You people are evil" he said causing Kara to look up at him. "See, that's proof…When im better. I'll need proof. Because you'll try to discredit me, but im cleverer than you" he added

"Tom, you've been infected by a parasite" Kara stated the truth. She hadn't felt so scared as felt right now. Tom shook his head as she continued "Come on, let us get rid of it for you. Let me call someone" she asked trying to push away.

"No" Tom said as he pushed her to the ground and towered over her. He pulled her wrist towards him as he tried to bite her "Share and share alike. Kara!"

"No! Wait…Okay. You want the truth? I'll tell you. The whole story…Its what you want, isn't it." She said as he let her go. "I can show you where this thing really came from"

* * *

Football Stadium - Kara's POV

Kara pulled up outside the Football stadium, with Tom alongside her and the Dodo in the back of her car. 

"Poor thing…You killed it" Tom said from beside her as he turned to face her

"We didn't kill anything, Tom" she said trying to make him see straight

"Don't lie to me again. Things don't just happen. It's all connected" he said gripping her wrist as she tried to get out

"Im on your side remember? You can trust me" she said turning back to face him. He was really starting to bug her by gripping her arm all the time

Kara walked into the building Tom following behind. She stopped and showed her ID card to the Solider on site, the solider nodded at Tom over Kara's shoulder.

"He's a Home Office scientist. He hasn't got his accreditation yet" she said thinking fast

The solider nodded and allowed them to pass. Walking down the hallway, Kara looked over her shoulder hoping her father would find her fast. Entering the underground kitchen Kara opened the freezer where the anomaly was. Only to find it had closed

"This is where the anomaly was. I swear" she said turning to face Tom who pushed passed her and examined the freezer, before turning to face her

"We don't know why they come and go, but that's where the dodo came through" she explained backing away from him

"Do you think im stupid? It was a trap. It was a trap. Their coming here to kill me aren't they? You told them" He said moving towards her

Kara shook her head and rolled her eyes seeing as he wasn't going to believe her. As he lunged forwards she pulled a near by stand infront of her before running off out of the room. Tom following behind her.

* * *

"Kara!" Tom echoed shouts filled the hallway.

Kara run to a near-by door only to find it locked. "Damn" she mumbled and took of running again. She run out onto the football field in an attempt to escape, only to have Tom land on her back throwing the both to the floor.

"No. Don't do it, Tom! Get off! No. Tom!" Kara screamed trying to fight him off

Suddenly SAS soldiers appeared closely followed by her father.

"I've got a shot. I can take him out" Ryan shouted causing Tom to stop and turn

"No! Don't shoot him!" Connor shouted running to stand infront of his mate

"Connor, what are you doing?" Claudia asked

"Just, please, don't shoot him!" he tried to reason

"Connor get out of the way!" Stephen shouted

Kara saw her father say something to Ryan but didn't hear what had been said

"Tom, Tom it's me…Let her go mate" Connor said turning to his friend. He looked down at Kara then back at Tom

"Easy. Easy!" He added as Kara tried to move but Tom gripped her tighter but didn't let go

"You remember Thursday nights, don't you?...Battlestar Galactica, Blakes 7? Pepperoni Pizza" Connor said. Tom laughed

"Connor?" he asked remembering his friend

"Yeah. They where good times, weren't they?...You can fight the dark side, mate. You really can" Kara could see Connor was on the verge of crying. She looked up at Tom who let her go, she moved away from him and towards the stands where her father was

"You too Connor. Move away. He will kill you" Ryan said holding is gun at firing point

"No he won't…He's my friend" Connor said shaking his had and moving forward to kneel infront of Tom. Kara was now standing behind Stephen

"Come with me…We can. We can help you" Kara heard Connor say

"It was a conspiracy wasn't it Con" Tom asked

Connor nodded "Big time…Right to the top"

Kara couldn't make out what else was said all she saw was Connor nodding. She saw Tom's eyes change again as he fell forwards

"Connor, back away!" Ryan called

"Connor" Kara shouted for her friend to move

Gripping Stephen's arm, Kara stood behind him watching every move Tom made, he fell into Connor's arms but didn't move. She clenched her eyes closed tightly as she buried her face in Stephen's arms, she knew Tom had died. Feeling someone brush passed her she turned to see her father descending the steps. She followed him and stood beside him as they stopped infront of Connor

"I cant do this anymore" Connor said

"Come here" Nick said as Kara shook her head. She didn't want Connor to back out they needed him

"We need you" she said standing beside her father and Connor

"If I hadn't been involved. Tom would still be alive" Connor said looking at her

"No. There's a handful of people in the whole world that know what's going on here, what we are grappling with, and your one of them. That would have made his day. He'd have loved it…So you can't bail out now, okay?" Kara said, she looked at Connor as tears filled his eyes

"Okay" Connor said with a nod

"Now, come here" She said shortly as she hugged him. She felt him sighed deeply as he hugged her back.

Kara let go of Connor and turned to her father who didn't say anything just pulled her into a tight hug. "Im sorry" he whispered to her. He felt guilty about leaving her alone with the Dodo and putting her in harms way. Kara shook her head to show that she didn't blame him, that it wasn't his fault. "It's not your fault" she said shortly as she hugged him back


	6. The Pterodactyloid Pterosaur

**Since we do not know that Golfer's last names, I have just chosen some random last name to add.**** Also I hope you like my little surprise I have in these end chapters. Especially for the people who wanted more Stephen/Kara moments.**

**Here it is….Chapter 5. ****Please read and review. ****Thank You. **

Chapter 5

The Pterodactyloid Pterosaur

Andy Johnson stopped his golfing caddy on the golf field. Climbing out he grabbed a put from the bag on the back and walked towards the starting point placing his gold ball on the grass. "Tiger Woods…eat your heart out" he said as he swung the put behind him and brought it down towards the golf ball but missed. He tried several more time but missed again, on the last shot he hit the ball causing it to land in the pond.

Ringing noise came from his pocket as he took out his mobile, "Jeff"

"_I got stuck in a bunker. Are you on the green yet?"_ Came a voice from over the phone

"Yea, easy" Andy answered looking back at the lake where his ball had landed.

"_Okay"_ Came the voice again

* * *

Kara Cutter sat in the University's Cafeteria thinking of her conversation last night with Steven. She had told him why she had been acting so cold to everyone lately. She also told him she felt incomplete, her mother had left 8 years ago and suddenly she was back for unknown reasons and all Kara wanted to know was why. But every time she came close to an answer she loses it.

Lost in her train of thoughts Kara didn't notice she had company until they where sat beside her. Snapping out of her thoughts she looked up to see Steven.

"Hey" she said "Whats wrong?" she added noticing the look on his face

"We might possibly have another anomaly" she stated. Kara sighed but stood anyway and followed Steven out of the cafeteria. If people had taken the time to look they would have noticed Steven take hold of Kara's hand. Also last night, Kara had taken the time to tell Steven how she really felt about him and he about her

* * *

Kara stood with her father and Steven, as Nick asked the friend of the Dead golfer what he had seen. After receiving all the answers they could, Kara, Nick and Steven approached Claudia Brown.

"What did he see?" Claudia asked when all three of them had stopped infront of her

"All over by the time we got here" Nick answered

"Have we found the anomaly yet?"

"Well, we're not absolutely sure there is one yet" Kara interjected

"And I need to see the victim" Nick added quickly

Steven turned away and walked back to the medics outside the ambulance. Kara watched him go but stayed beside her father

"Look I should warn you. Lester's getting impatient…Thinks you cause more problems than you solve" Claudia warned. Causing Kara to turn to face her.

"What do you think?" she questioned

"I think it would be helpful if I could show him we're making some progress" Claudia said looking at the teenager

"Or what?" Kara asked, her hatred for Lester was starting to re-surface again, and she really didn't want to blow up at Claudia

"Or it becomes difficult" Claudia said sensing the anger building up inside Nick's daughter

"Look Lester doesn't own this. The government doesn't own this. If you really want to help, keep him off my back" Nick said finally having a chance to speak

"Please, don't make me take sides, Nick" Claudia asked, before walking away. Kara sighed "I'll go call Connor and Abby" she said as she walked back towards Steven

* * *

Kara stood in the Main office building, with her father Nick Cutter, Claudia Brown and the Medic who had the body of the dead golfer on the stretcher. When the medic raised the sheet exposing the body she turned away also noticing Claudia doing the same

"He's been torn to shreds" The medic stated

"It's almost surgical the way the flesh has been torn away so cleanly" Nick said a hand on his daughters shoulder to steady her. "There's no wastage" he added

Kara had always hated the sight of blood; it made her feel light headed. But this body just made her feel sick to her stomach

"Any idea what might have done that?" Claudia asked turning back around to face Nick. Kara glanced over her shoulder to see the body had been recovered, taking a deep breath she turned back around but lent against her father for support not trusting her legs alone.

"A creature of devastating power and savagery, to do that in just a few minutes" Kara explained looking up at the older woman

"One things for sure. It came through an anomaly…First thing we have to do is find that" Nick confirmed has he held Kara up.

* * *

"No trampled, or broken vegetation. No track marks and no sign of an anomaly" Steven explained as he and Kara approached Nick, Kara look at the compass before handing it to her father

"But there is one hell of a magnetic field. So its gotta be here somewhere" She said

"Unless there's a pylon causing interference" Steven added as he caught hold of Kara's hand as she returned to his side

"Cant see anything" Abby sighed as she stopped on Nick's other side. She had noticed the change between Steven and Kara and saw that she had lost him to her. Funny enough Kara noticed Abby didn't seem to mind.

"Be quiet a minute and let me think here" Nick said walking forward a few steps

"Quiet!" Nick said turning around to face them

"We didn't say anything" Abby said with a shrug of her shoulders

"No…he means it's too quiet" Kara said catching onto what her father meant

"There's no bird song" Nick added

"Not a peep" Abby said realising what the meant

"They're scared off" Steven said looking around

"What would scare the birds away?" Kara asked

Nick looked down at the compass and turned it in his hands slowly "You where wrong, it's not a pylon. There is an anomaly" he said looking back up. He noticed his daughter looking up

"Where?" Steven asked

"We're standing right underneath it" Kara said causing everyone to look up

"It's an aerial predator" Steven said looking around for any glimpse of the creature

"Wow" Abby breathed

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it. Now how the hell do we cordon off the sky?" Nick wondered aloud

"Cutter" Steven said still looking up. Kara looked up to see something flying towards them.

"I mean, this thing could be anywhere by now" Nick continued speaking

"I wouldn't be too sure of that dad" Kara said as she, Steven and Abby turned pushing her father to the ground out of the way

"So not so hard to find then" Steven said getting up

**XxX**

"What is it?" Abby asked

"Pterodactyloid Pterosaur" Kara explained

"It's probably a Pteranodon" Nick added

"Is it what killed the Golfer?" Abby questioned

"I'd say it's definitely in the frame" Steven answered, causing both Kara and Abby to look at him

"Well, Pteranodon was supposed to have mainly eaten small reptiles and fish" Kara said as she took the binoculars off her father and looked up at the creature

"Probably only snacking until humans came along" Steven offered. Kara rolled her eyes but didn't comment back

"Why's it circling?" Abby asked voicing Kara's thoughts

"Probably looking for a roost?" Steven offered

"Well its spoilt for choice" Nick said as Kara passed him back the Binoculars

"Certainly looking for something" she added

**XxX**

Not so far away from them Connor emerged out of the trees, catching Kara's attention.

"Is that Connor?" she asked moving forwards

"What?" Nick asked looking at her curiously

"Connor" she said pointing ahead of them at Connor

"What's he doing?" Abby asked as she, Steven and Nick where now looking directly at Connor

"More importantly whats our friend up there doing?" Nick said looking back up

"He's not looking for a roost" Steven stated

"He's looking for lunch" Kara added

"Connor! Connor!" The four of them started shouting

"Connor! Come here quickly" Kara and Abby shouted

"Ryan! Will you come over here quickly" Nick shouted to the SAS soliders and Claudia who weren't that far away from them

"Get into the trees" Abby shouted seeing Connor just standing there

"Run, you idiot!" Kara and Steven shouted

"Run Connor" Abby said as Connor started running

"Cover it" Ryan said as he joined them. 

"Oh no" Claudia mumbled from behind them

"Shoot it" she added

"No. Wait a minute. Something about this doesn't add up. I'm just not sure what it is quite yet." Nick said as Ryan readied his gun

"Do it"

"No. We should only kill these creatures when there is absolutely no other choice!" Nick argued

"Choice? What other choice? In a matter of seconds, Connor's going to be ripped to shreds" Claudia defended

"We can't take that chance" Steven added quietly to Nick

Kara brushed her hands through her hair as she listened to them arguing about shooting the creature or not. She watched as Connor continued running

"Follow you orders, Captain" Claudia said to Ryan

"Yes, Ma'am" Ryan answered

Knowing that something wasn't right about the situation, Nick pushed Ryan as he took the first few shots. They missed the Pteranodon. Ryan tried again but the Creature was out of range.

"It's out of range" he said

Everyone watched as the Pteranodon flew over Connor as he jumped down into a Bunker. Kara sighed in relief along with Abby.

"Really wish you hadn't done that. God knows how many people you just condemned to death" Claudia said holding her hands together as looked over at Nick

"Wait a minute there's a lizard with him" Nick said as if he hadn't heard Claudia's speech

"A lizard?"

"Salurosorophus" Nick confirmed

"Oh, he let Rex escape" Abby exclaim before realising what she had said. Everyone turned to her as Claudia spoke

"What have you done?" she questioned

"You kept him?" Nick asked

"No" Abby said "Yeah. Yes. He came back. I was just looking after him" she added

"What do you think we're doing here? Running some kind of private zoo?" Claudia asked in disbelief

"Im sorry guys" Abby apologized

"That's why your flat was so hot" Steven stated. Abby nodded.

"Now, we don't know enough about the creature yet" Nick stated

"Lester was right. You people are a menace…What do you think we're doing here, Nick? Playing some kind of game?" Claudia exclaimed frantically

"Nobody is taking this more seriously than we are" Nick retorted

Kara turned away from the fighting and clenched her eyes closed trying to block everyone out. She could hear Connor whooping in the background as he grew nearer

"Look, its wounded, okay? So its not gonna go far. It needs to roost" She heard Steven say over the shouting

"I hope your right. For all our sakes" Claudia said before walking away with Ryan and his soldiers

"She's got a point" Steven said as she approached Nick

"Look, im not being sentimental. There were good reasons for not killing the creatures" Nick said not bothering to face Steven.

"And your sure about that?"

"No, of course I'm not sure! Im I've probably just made the biggest mistake of my life!" Nick said raising his voice slightly. Kara sighed she hadn't seen her father like this for a while "It's a hunch that's all" he added

"Well, that was a bit of a laugh, wasn't it" Connor said laughing at what had happened

"Silly arse" Nick commented before walking away.

"What?" Connor asked looking at Abby, who glared at him before following Nick.

Steven looked at Kara before asking if she was alright, she responded with a nod and a 'Im fine'. She looked to see her father leaving. Not so long after, she and Steven followed. As Abby took Connor to find Rex.

**XxX**

"Pteranodon hunted from high vantage points. Cliff tops, mountain, anywhere that gave it a good sight of potential prey" Kara explained as she sat on the hood of her fathers car. Steven was beside her on the lap top. Her father was walking towards her as Claudia and Ryan stood not that far away.

"We need to be looking at all the highest points a within a couple of miles" Steven said to Ryan.

Chattering could be heard over Ryan's radio. Before he turned to the group.

"Real-time images are coming through now" He said

Kara looked at the Computer screen from over Steven's shoulder. Her father stood just behind as he waited for some confirmation of sighting.

"There it is" She said as Steven pointed at the screen

"Got it" Nick said turning to Ryan who was listening to his radio

"Office building less than a mile away. Should be empty of a Saturday. Let's go" Ryan confirmed.

"We need to get there first" Nick said to Steven as he and Claudia climbed into the front of his Silver Pick up. Kara climbed in behind her father as Steven got in beside her.

* * *

Nick Cutter pulled up outside the Office building, as he, Kara, Steven and Claudia climbed out. 

"We should wait for Ryan" Claudia said. But one look from Steven she knew they weren't waiting. Kara walked around the back of the car and stopped beside Steven as he pulled out the tranquilizer gun.

"Whats that?" Claudia asked as the four entered the building. Steven started loading the gun.

"Tranquilizer gun" Kara confirmed from beside her father

"No way" Claudia said as she held up her hands and stopped. Steven, Kara and Nick carried on walking

"Take out about five of those things up there." Nick said

"Im not taking any chances. I want it dead"

"Oh just humor me"

"What?"

"Have I ever let you down before? Don't answer that. Just trust me, please." Nick said turning to face her then turning back around and walking a little further

Kara was trying her best to stop grinning but was failing. She looked across to see Steven grinning also.

"Why do you keep doing this to me?" Claudia asked

"Look, we're in unknown territory here…I don't know. The only that I know is that killing these creatures without good reason is not the answer." Nick stated as he stopped to face Claudia

"You've got until Ryan gets here. Once chance, one shot" She said finally giving in

Kara and Steven glanced at one another in disbelief as they turned and followed Nick towards the roof.

"Never thought she'd buy that" Steven said

"No neither did I" Kara and Nick said together

**XxX**

Once on the roof, Steven took aim as Nick, Claudia and Kara joined him. The Pteranodon spotted them and took off into the sky.

"Damn it!" Nick exclaimed in frustration

"Look" Kara said as the Pteranodon flew over head from behind them. She laughed as she gazed at the creature as it flew ahead of them

"We're gonna have to find a way to bring it back into range" Nick stated

"See the red crest on the top of her head…That's it. Red" Kara said

Nick clicked onto what his daughter meant and turned to Claudia "I need your shirt"

"What?" she asked quickly

"Your shirt" Nick asked again

"Come on…Its magenta" Claudia said trying to get out of taking her shirt off

"Its close enough" Nick said starting towards the edge of the building

"Its nothing like red" Claudia exclaimed. Kara bit back a smile as she stood beside Steven, hiding her red jacket from her father.

"Wait. Forgot about this. You owe me" Steven said showing the Red t-shirt he had on under his white one. Claudia smiled and took the gun from him as her removed both shirts.

"You good?" Nick asked as Steven put his White shirt back on and took the gun from Claudia.

"Im good" Steven answered.

Kara looked at her father who nodded at her. She whistled loud enough for the Pteranodon to hear her and bring it back into range. The Creature turned towards the sound and screeched as it started to fly towards them.

"Right. In your own time" Nick said as he waved the red shirt on the pole.

Steven lined the gun up with the target and fired one shot. "The wind took it" he said as she lowered to re-load the gun. The Pteranodon screeched but carried on flying towards them

"Yup. Try again" Kara stated from behind them

"Quick as you like there Steven" Nick asked still bring the Pteranodon back towards them. Kara noticed Claudia getting rather nervous from beside her.

Steven lined the creature up again and fired a second shot but missed. "Damn thing keeps moving" He said.

"Yep. That's what they do" Nick said getting impatient.

For the third time Steven re-loaded the gun and re-aligned it. "This time" he muttered. "Come on fellow" he said waiting for the Creature to get into a closer range so he could shoot it.

"Steven shoot it" Kara said getting a little nervous as the creature got closer. She saw Claudia step back slightly before running to the other end of the building out of the way.

"Steven, will you shoot it!" Nick shouted.

Steven took a shot when the creature was just above them. He hit it in the side as it toppled and landed on to roof top, not that short of where Claudia was standing.

"You see that" Nick said pointing to the Pteranodon and Claudia

"No need to shout" Steven said looking from the Creature and then at Nick. Kara stifled a giggle before she spoke

"What are we going to do with it?" She asked

"Take it back to the anomaly site. Send it back" Nick confirmed. Kara nodded in understanding.

"That is it, Cutter. No more favours. From now on we do this my way. I take the decisions" Claudia said moving forward slightly. Kara turned too look at her as the Pteranodon flicked its head and hit her knocking her out.

"Whoops" Nick said as Claudia hit the ground. Kara bit her lip to stop herself laughing at her father's comment

* * *

After getting the Pteranodon back to the Anomaly sight. Kara left her father who went with the medic and the now unconscious Claudia Brown into the main house. Kara on the other hand followed Steven and the Pteranodon, which had been covered by a green sheet and tied down.

Ryan and a couple of more SAS soliders where stood on guard with their guns incase the Creature came around.

"I wouldn't get to close if I were you. That thing could come around at any time" Ryan said as Kara was checking the creature.

"She's gonna be out for hours yet." Kara said looking up at Ryan

There was a loud gurgling sound, as Steven run to base of the trailer that the Pteranodon was on.

"Oh nice" Ryan said. Kara smiled and giggled lowly before turning her attention back to the scaly bird.

"You have no idea how revealing dung can be. You can learn a lot from it" Steven said as he reached under the sheet. "Its exciting stuff" he added before placing a small amount of Dung in his mouth.

Kara made sure she wasn't watching as she has seen this before and it made her really sick. Ryan and the SAS soldiers grunted in disgust. "That's not right" Ryan said with a shake of his head.

"She didn't kill the golfer" Steven exclaimed looking at Kara

"Okay…I'll call my dad and inform him" she explained standing up and taking her mobile from her jean pocket. She dialled her father's number.

"_Kara?"_ came her father's voice from the other end of the phone

"Listen, you that hunch of yours? You where right. Old leather face didn't kill the Golfer. The beak, it's all wrong. Steven says the dung is the clincher" Kara explained

"_Let, me guess. No human remains"_ Nick asked

"No. apparently just a few small reptiles and some fish bones. That's it" Kara explained what Steven had told her

"_Exactly what I thought. It wasn't Connor it was after it was Rex."_ Nick stated

"Yeah" Kara said with a nod. Even though her father couldn't see her.

There was a bleeping sound from the Phone before Nick spoke again.

"_Kara, listen, Im gonna have to call you back. My phone's out of juice"_

"Okay" Kara said with a small smile. Before she hung up.

* * *

After the phone call from Nick to Ryan, saying he and Claudia where being attacked. Steven had to hold Kara back to stop her from running off to help her dad. He knew she only meant well, but neither he nor Nick needed or wanted her to get hurt.

After they had returned to the Anomaly site, Kara practically tackled her father with a hug in which Nick returned obviously. She was now sitting on the trailer beside Abby tracing her fingers over the scales of the Pteranodon, which was now nearly fully awake. They where getting ready to send her home.

"Guys, you'd better be quick. I don't think the anomaly's gonna hold much longer" Connor shouted back to everyone.

Kara was looked up and watched as Steven run off to her father before returning.

"It's okay, baby. You'll be home soon" Abby said tracing the beak of the Pteranodon. Kara stood up beside Claudia as Steven was talking to her dad.

"Okay lets do it" she heard her father call. She turned to help, Connor, Steven and Abby pull the green sheet off the Creature.

"Okay. Solider boy" Steven said to Ryan

"All right, we're ready, let her go" Nick called down to them

The Pteranodon stretched its huge wings before flying off in the opposite direction of the Anomaly

"Turn" Kara heard her father call

"Turn around!" Steven shouted

"Over here" Abby called.

Kara, Connor, Abby and Steven were shouting and calling trying to bring it back towards them so that it would go through the anomaly and back home. The Pteranodon flew over head as everyone ducked down out of the way. As it flew through the anomaly it closed.

"Yes" Kara and Abby cheered. Kara hugged Steven and wrapped her legs around his waist as she did so. Before jumping back down Steven's arm still around her waist.

* * *

**There we go, Chapter 5.**

**Chapter 6 out soon. Secrets will be revealed. How will this affect Kara and Steven's new found relationship? Will Kara finally get the answer to why her mother came back? Find out next time.**

**Thanks for reading guys.**

**Reviews would be nice, before I post Season 2.**


	7. The Predator

**Chapter six**

**The Predator**

At the Metropolis Universality, Kara Cutter sat at her father's desk looking through a Sea-Blue folder that lay open in front of her. Papers where askew over the desk making in remotely impossible for anyone to see what she was doing. Her father Nick Cutter was messing around playing golf with a Dinosaur bone, a golf ball and a mug. He hit the small ball sending it tumbling in the mug.

"Shot" came an all too familiar voice. Kara looked up and saw Claudia Brown standing beside the open door to the office.

"Claudia Brown" Nick commented looking up as well. Kara smiled and nodded at the older woman before turning back to work.

"Having fun?" Claudia questioned with a smile

"Yes. Would you like to sit down?" Nick asked moving some of his papers off of a chair and placing them on top of more papers on the desk. Kara shook her head looking up as she searched the paper covered desk for her essay. Someone really needed to sort her father's desk out.

"I been thinking about Helen" Claudia said cautiously, looking in Kara's direction. Kara looked up at the mention of her mother's name, and locked eyes with Claudia.

"Carry on" she said. She had stopped trying to defend her mother, she had finally started to accept the fact that she was alive but wasn't going to return.

"Ah. Okay." Nick said turning Claudia's attention from Kara and back to him

"She saved my life…It was much less complicated when she was just the enemy" Claudia continued. Nick sat down in front of her as Kara looked back down at her folder but carried on listening

"Yeah. I gave up trying to predict Helen's behaviour when she swapped our marriage for a package tour in the Permian era" Nick concluded

"Maybe it was just a cry for help" Claudia reasoned

"Counselling would have been simpler" Nick stated

Kara grinned and shook her head at her fathers comment

"You talking about your feelings?...I don't think so" She said trying to keep the smile of her face but failing miserably

"What? Try me. And ask me anything, anything you like." He said looking over at his daughter.

Kara looked at Claudia, wondering silently if she would like to ask. Claudia turned to Nick and spoke

"Do you still love her?" Claudia questioned. Kara turned her attention to her father waiting for an answer

"Ask me another one" he said getting up and walking towards the window. Kara stifled a giggle and lowered her head.

Claudia sighed and muttered "Coward" causing Kara to laugh softly

"Was there any…I mean was there any purpose to your visit?...Or is my love life the only item on the agenda" Nick asked turning back to Claudia and his daughter who was grinning like a Chester cat

"If we're going to defend ourselves more effectively, then we've got to do something more than just react…We've got to discover why these anomalies are opening and then predict when the next one will appear" Claudia said 

Kara groaned and rested her head on the desk; she couldn't go one day without hearing the word Anomaly.

"Well, you know it may be possible to do that" Nick said

"Are you going to tell me?" Claudia asked as Nick fell silent

"I've got ideas" Nick started

"But he needs proof" Kara concluded

"I need more time" He added throwing a look in Kara's direction

"Fine. How does Monday morning sound?" Claudia asked stateing a time and day

"Your spoiling me now" Nick said as he hit his second golf ball but missed.

Claudia sighed and turned pinching the bridge of her nose. Kara looked up giving Claudia her full attention "Are you okay?" she asked

"Um, I haven't been sleeping well….Bad dreams" she said looking over at the teenager "By the way, when those things where attacking us, you kissed me…on the lips" Claudia added.

"I know" Nick confessed, out of the corner of his eye he could see Kara watching him and Claudia.

"You do know sexual harassment is a serious disciplinary offence in the civil service?" Claudia said as she left. The look on her fathers face made Kara bit back a laugh.

"You got it bad, Dad" she stated before returning to her work and missing the look her father gave her

* * *

At the Original Anomaly site in the Forest of Dean, a SAS solider stood by guarding the very first Anomaly. When he heard a disturbance near the anomaly site he went to investigate, finding nothing but hearing another sound on the other side of the forest where he had come from, he left to investigate the second sound finding a metal fence all broken and twisted out of shape.

"This is John 1. Security breach in section 15" he said through his radio. There was distorted chattering on the Radio back to him.

XxX

"No trail, no footprints, nothing" Stephen said from the other side of the fence as he approached the opening, he slipped through and stood beside Nick, Kara and Ryan.

"Are you sure you didn't miss anything?" Nick asked

"If there's anything out there, we'd have found it by now" Stephen explained.

"Must have gone back" Ryan stated

Kara turned back to face the first anomaly that they had encountered. She was back in the forest that her mother had disappeared in, making everyone think she was dead.

* * *

Kara sat down on the green outside the University her father was in his office as usual. Stephen had just left her, and she was working on an essay. The sun was beating down on her as she sat there flipping through her folder. Her shoulder length brown hair was pulled neatly back in a low ponytail, two loose strands hung down shaping her face, her Red jacket lay beside her, her backup resting on top of it. Her shoulders where exposed to the heat of the sun, thanks to her red and black strap top.

Adding the conclusion to her essay, she placed it back in her folder and placed the folder in her bag, she stood up and straightened her short skirt and threw her back-pack over her shoulder and walked away towards her fathers office. Her jacket over her arm. She reached the cafeteria where she saw Stephen sitting alone; she walked into the building and approached him

"What you doing in here? Thought you where going to see my dad?" she asked him once she reached him.

"I was…I mean I am" he said rather quickly. He stood up and looked down at Kara, thinking of how much she reminded him of Helen. Except for her personality.

"Okay. Well im heading that way too…now" she said as they left the Cafeteria together. Kara still wondering why he had been in there in the first place, but she decided not to push on the subject.

* * *

Kara entered Home Office the next day with Stephen, she noticed Abby and Connor standing outside the glass doors on the other side of the room, but it looked like Stephen had noticed them. She had been informed that her mother wanted a meeting with her father and Lester later that day at the University.

She had her answer to why Stephen was in the Cafeteria yesterday when he said that he was going to see her dad. Ignoring Abby and Connor she followed Stephen towards Lester's office, her hand held in his as she walked beside him.

"Are you sure you don't know what this is already about?" Lester asked as he, Claudia, Nick, Stephen and Kara stood outside the elevators. Kara sighed as she leant against the railing her hand still in Stephen's. Her father's pacing beside her was making her feel dizzy, and Lester's rambling wasn't helping. She happy when her father stopped moving.

"What does that mean?" Nick asked

"She's your wife. You join the dots" Lester recalled. Kara glared at Lester for his comment but made no comment or any move towards him

"Helen did save my life. So we should give her some credit for that" Claudia defended. Kara smiled in gratitude, to Claudia. "And if she does know something about the disappearances…" she added

"That's a police matter. These no evidence of creature involvement" Lester interrupted.

"Yet" Stephen interjected

The elevator doors behind Lester opened, as he looked behind him and sighed

"Okay fine. We'll do this her way. But if this turns out to be another one of manipulative little schemes the deal's off and she goes straight back on the wanted list" He stated before turning and walking into the Elevator, Claudia following. As soon as the doors closed Kara spoke

"I really despised that guy" she said hotly. For some reason she couldn't explain why she was defending her mother, when she had finally let go of the fact that she wasn't coming back. It was just whenever Lester spoke of her mother it was like everything that happened was her fault, and Kara took it upon herself to keep Lester in his place of off her mothers back. Even if something's happened cause of her

* * *

Later that day back at the University, Kara found herself being here more than she had in the past few months. Standing on the bridge with her was her father Nick Cutter, her boyfriend Stephen Hart. James Lester and Claudia Brown. Walking towards her from the opposite direction was her mother Helen Cutter.

Kara stood in between her father and Stephen as she pushed herself up onto the railing. She placed her hand on Stephen's shoulder and her other hand on the railing itself to steady herself so she didn't fall backwards into the lake.

"You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator, Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless" Helen said as soon as she stopped infront of them. Her eyes planted firmly on Nick and Kara

"If there was a creature on the loose, we'd know about it" Claudia said

"At least three people have disappeared in the last few days." Helen said looking away from Nick and Kara and turning to Claudia

"Missing" Lester interjected

"Killed" Helen corrected "The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. Its taken them for food" she added

"How do you know that?" Nick asked

"Because it nearly got me too" Helen explained

"What is it?" Stephen asked causing Helen to look at him

"It has no name" she said shortly

"Then which era is it from?" Kara asked hoping for more information

"It doesn't come from any era. At least not one that can be identified yet." Helen said as she moved forward towards Nick -and the now standing- Kara.

"Im sorry, but I don't understand" Nick said in confusion

"Yes, you do Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You've known it ever since you stepped foot into the past….The both of you have" Helen said turning to face her daughter. Kara's face lit up as realization dawned on her.

"The future?" Kara and Nick asked together

Claudia and Lester exchanged looks as did Stephen and Kara.

"Are you saying we're being attacked by a creature from the future?" Nick asked

XxX

"I've seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one…It has human levels of intelligence and an almost supernatural ability to stalk its prey" Helen said as she leant against the railing where Kara sat moments before. "It could be right here now watching us and we'd never know about it" she added

"If its so clever, how did you see it?" Claudia asked

"I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences where down" Helen provided an answer

"What does it look like?" Kara asked

"Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile." Helen answered turning to face the teenager

"Hold on, what makes you so certain that its not some species that's just disappeared from the evolutionary record" Nick interjected

Helen shook her head at her husband before answering "No, Nick. It's not like any creature from the Permian or any other prehistoric ear. The only possible reason is that it strayed through a future anomaly, into an Permian era, and then on into ours"

"You know, Im really starting to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it's the future as well. And apparently we can't do a damn thing to stop it" Lester said breaking the silence around the six of them

"How did it get here?" Claudia asked

"I don't know" Came Helen's response

"Its only when I got back. I found out it was on the loose. Obviously my first thought was to do as much as I could to help" Helen added looking back at Nick and Kara

"How public-spirited of you" Lester commented

Helen smirked. Kara bit her lip as she held back a giggle, much to her father's luck he chuckled softly

"Where can we contact you?" Lester added as an after thought

"At my house. Of course" Helen said looking over at her husband and daughter.

Kara looked up at her father at her mothers comment, she shook her head and turned away looking over the railing and down into the water

* * *

Once she had gotten home, Kara went straight to her room. Her father paied no attention to this has she had been doing it now for a couple of weeks. Her mother on the other hand was surprised. Kara wasn't the girl she remembered.

Kara threw her bag onto her bed and returned to the top of the stairs she crept down the quietly and sat down listening to her parents talk in the living room. She wanted to know more about this predator but she could be near her mother. Helen may have raised her until she was 10 years old, but she then disappeared. Kara knew if she got to close to Helen now she would only get hurt again later when Helen left.

"You could have redecorated" Kara heard her mother mention

"We like it" Nick answered, speaking for both himself and his daughter. Who he knew was listening to them from the stairs

"Anyway, you gonna tell me why you where lying?" Nick asked. 

"No idea what you're talking about" Helen commented

Kara sighed from her seat on the stairs and stood up as she walked down the remainder of steps and walked into the room with her parents. She crossed her legs on the chair opposite her mom and sat down upon them

"Well, you know, the others buy that line about you just wanting to help, but we've known you longer than they have" Kara said as she sat down 

"Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observation. But I got to fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching" Helen explained

"So you became the prey" Nick finished

"Yeah. I only just got away" Helen said looking down. Kara sighed, as her father shook his head and looked away "Problem was, my escape route led me back here." Helen added

"And it followed you" Kara concluded

"So this is your fault" Nick interjected

"I could have walked away…But I didn't, I stayed to help. I'm still human, Nick. I… I do care what happens. Believe it or not, I do care about the both of you" Helen said looking between her 18 year old daughter and her husband.

Kara was avoiding her gaze as Nick just stared at her. After a while of silence, Kara pulled her mobile out and looked at the caller ID. It was Connor. She listened intently to him before hanging up and turning to her dad. Explaining what Connor had said, about Abby being at the Zoo. Stephen going after her and telling Connor to call for back-up.

Once Kara finished explaining, she found herself in the back of the silver pick up with her father and mother, on the way back to the Zoo.

Once they had found Stephen and Abby. Kara found herself walking towards the woods surrounding the Zoo. The SAS soldiers had their dogs, since Helen had alerted Claudia to this.

"The creature's lair must be somewhere very close" Nick said as everyone walked in a Horizontal single line.

"What happens when we find this thing?" Ryan asked from Nick's side

"We kill it" Kara added glancing at Ryan

"I thought we only killed these creatures in self-defence" Ryan commented back

"This one's too dangerous. And if we kill it, we can't affect the past or the present" Nick answered

"Shoot to kill. That makes a refreshing change. I was starting to feel like a social worker" Ryan said. Kara smiled but carried on walking

* * *

As the entered the woods, the dogs started barking. There was a roaring sound then a scream as one of the Soldiers disappeared from view. Everyone with guns turned in the direction of the lost Solider but didn't see anything. Kara gripped her fathers arm and clung to him, she hadn't felt this scared of a creature before. Gunshots where heard but nothing could be seen

"There's nothing" Ryan stated

Kara was looking around frantically as there where more gunshots, the dogs where barking like mad so the creature had to be around somewhere. "Make sure you verify your targets" Ryan said to his men

There was low movement sounds and snapping noises coming from somewhere. Kara turned her head to look up as the noises sounded from above her. "Look up!" she yelled causing everyone to look up into the trees.

Looking amongst the trees Kara spotted the creature, in lept onto a near-by tree and jumped at her. She screamed as her father pushed down out of the way as the creature lept over them. There were gunshot noises as Ryan and his men started shooting at their target, but in a matter of minutes the creature was gone.

"What the hell was that?" Stephen asked as Nick helped Kara up. She was shaking like crazy. Nick pulled her into a hug as he whispered nothings in her ear to calm her down.

"We need a bigger gun" he said to Stephen as Kara clamed down slightly

XxX

"It's one step ahead of us all the time" Nick said as Kara, Stephen and Connor stood around him. The SAS soldiers not that far away and Helen leaning against a tree opposite them. They had figured they where safer if the stuck together, seeing as no predator would attack something bigger than itself. Kara had calmed down a lot since the Predator had jumped at her, but she was still a little freaked out.

"I warned you it was smart" Helen commented as she sliced off a piece of her apple

"I t would be helpful if you could tell us how to catch it" Nick said rounding on her

"What we need is something that gives us an edge. Some weakness in its defences…Otherwise it's just gonna pick us off one by one" Stephen said walking forward slightly

"Dogs. The dogs went crazy before it attacked. What would make them go off like that?" Connor asked. From her postion next to Connor, Kara could seem a small smile on her mothers face, Connor was on the right path.

"Cant be smell. If there was a scent trail, they'd have followed it." Stephen said turning to face Connor

"Hearing" Kara commented from beside Connor

"Sound" Connor said nodding at the teenager

"They heard something" Kara commented back

"It's using sound" Connor confirmed

"That's why it manages to stay ahead of us. It can detect physical movement before it's within visual range" Nick interjected

"And the dogs, they detect higher frequency there they know when it's nearby" Kara confirmed

"Like echolocation" Ryan added

"High frequency sound waves. It's like a sonar system. Some animals use it to detect prey" Kara explained

"Like a bat…You said there was bats blood in the lion enclosure" Stephen added motioning to Connor

"That's it. That's it's. This thing must be some kind of…I don't know. Super bat" Connor and Kara confirmed together

"Their right" Helen said finally. "Three quarters, of all mammal species are bats or rats. Maybe the future belongs to them." She added, slicing at her apple again.

"We can use its own weapon against it" Kara said looking up at Connor

"An oscilloscope" Connor asked

"It's in the car. Go get it" Kara said smiling.

She watched as Connor run off before turning to her father

* * *

Returning to the edge of the woods, Kara heard yelling and screeching. She running after Stephen towards Connor where she was sure the Creature was too. After emerging out of the trees behind Stephen she saw Connor laying on the floor near the car, Abby standing somewhat frozen near-by and the creature growling at her. It jumped towards her as Stephen fired and hit it, as it run off into the trees. Abby jumped at Stephen as she hugged him and he hugged back. Kara on the other hand turned away and run towards Connor helping up.

As Kara was helping Connor she noticed her father walking towards her.

"I thought I was going to die then." Connor said as he rested against the car, his hands on his knees

"But you didn't" Nick said

"No. Quite chuffed about that" Connor said as he let out a small laugh

"Maybe you should go home" Nick offered. He had offered Kara the same when she was freaked out earlier but she had turned the offer down to stay.

"No, I'm going to stay. I mean, Han Solo, he wouldn't give up before a job's done, would he?" Connor said turning the offer now. Kara cracked a smile at him.

"Always saw you as R2-D2 myself, but I take your point" Nick said as he and Kara walked off

* * *

Back in the woods, the dogs had found the Creature's lair. Much to Kara's displeasure. She followed Stephen, into the lair gripping his hand. Even though she had found him with Abby alone under the seal environment and then seen him holding her when they saved her and Connor she still stuck close to him. She felt safe around him.

"What do they keep in here?" Nick asked as he walked infront of her and Stephen

"Its animal crate storage" Stephen answered as he squeezed Kara's hand, silently telling her it was okay. She was okay.

"Great place for a lair" Helen commented from ahead of the three of them

The oscilloscope that Connor had hold of was beeping like mad, as Ryan and his soldiers continued searching. Stephen, Nick and Kara approached Connor.

"Whatever's making that noise is right on top of us" Nick said. Stephen felt Kara's grip tighten and he knew she was becoming nervous if not already scared. He had to admit he had never seen her like this; she was normally relaxed, sympathetic or angered. Never scared.

"Dogs. Should be going crazy" Stephen said as he walked away pulling Kara up beside him 'Your going to be okay' he whispered quietly to her.

"Come on" Nick said to Connor as they both followed Stephen and Kara

They entered another storage room, as Helen walked on ahead, Stephen following pulling Kara behind him. There was a squealing noise before smaller versions of the Predator came into view

"It's in here somewhere" Connor said as the oscilloscope started beeping faster

"Dad! You need to see this" Kara called to her father as she stood beside Stephen, as she knelt down beside the box of young predators

The squealing continued as Nick and Connor came to see what was wrong. Stephen stood up and walked to the back of the building.

"My God. It's given birth" Nick said

"Oh. Cute" Connor said. Kara looked at him and shook her head. Connor noticed she was awfully pale, and then he remembered how she was with this creature.

"There are three bodies back here" Stephen called over his shoulder

"She's storing them to feed her young" Helen said

Connor started backing up as the oscilloscope began beeping rapidly. "We've got company!" He yelled. Kara panicked, as she heard thumping over head. She started shaking not liking being in close proximity to this creature. Stephen had returned to her side and pulled her into him in a protective manner like he had done before, but it didn't stop her from shaking. She felt safe, but she also felt unsafe.

Everyone looked up but couldn't see anything. Ryan and his men aimed their guns everywhere as did Nick and Stephen but no one could see where the creature was.

"Where the hell is it?" Ryan shouted

There was a low growling sound then screaming as another soldier was taken out by the creature. 

"Stephen" Nick called as Stephen moved forward. Kara pressed herself further against him as he stopped

Nick grabbed one of the young predators and run from the building in an attempt to lure the creature away from the others. Including his daughter.

"Dad!" Kara yelled as she saw the creature following her father and it's young. Stephen held onto her tightly knowing she would run after her father and put herself in danger if he let go

**

* * *

**

After packing up the young predators, Kara returned to Home Office with her father and mother. Now she was away from the storage building and the creature was dead she felt a lot safer. She stood beside her father, arms crossed over her chest. Her father stood behind her slightly leaning against the glass doors in Home Office. Helen, Lester and Claudia opposite them.

"If you kill them now. You'll be making a big mistake" Helen commented

"Then what do you suggest? Sympathetic foster family" Lester asked

"A dangerous anomaly to the future is open in Permian. Predators could come pouring through." Helen explained

"But why do we keep these animals alive?" Claudia asked

"To pinpoint the exact location of the anomaly…All bats have extraordinary homing instincts. They'll know their own environment. They can lead us to it" Helen explained once more

"And what do we do to them then?" Lester asked

"We kill them" Nick said, causing the three infront of him and his daughter to turn to face him "We kill them" He said again

"To let even one of them loose in the Permian era could be a potential catastrophe. They could wipe out whole species. They could change things in ways we can't even conceive" Kara added backing her father up.

"And afterwards, we keep a permanent guard at the future anomaly?" Lester questioned

"The threat is too serious to be ignored" Kara confirmed

"Serious enough to warrant a permanent intrusion into the past?" Claudia asked

"With the correct restrictions, yes" Nick said looking at Claudia

Lester sighed, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I suppose just bombing somewhere is out of the question?" he asked. Receiving a glare from Kara and Nick. Kara also noticed Claudia roll her eyes at the comment.

"All right, we'll do it. I just hope your right" He said as he walked away.

Helen looked at Nick and smiled. Kara saw Claudia looked at her, then at Helen and then at Nick before smiling slightly before walking away in the direction Lester did. Nick walked forward and placing a hand on Kara's shoulder as they both walked past Helen and followed Claudia and Lester.

* * *

As soon as Kara got home she went to her room, changed into her Pyjamas she was laying on her back staring at the ceiling when she heard her parents talking outside her door, she quietly stood up and crept to the door, she opened it slightly and peered out.

"We never discussed sleeping arrangements" She heard her mother say

"I'm gonna take the spare room" Her father said

"You don't have too. We're still married" Helen mentioned

"Excuse me" Nick said as Kara saw him walk around her mother and into the bathroom. She smiled slightly and closed her bedroom door and returned to her bed. She climbed under her quilt before falling asleep.

Several minutes later, her door opened and someone turned off her bed-side lamp. They whispered a soft good-night before leaving closing the door behind them. Kara smiled in her sleep, she knew who had just left, and he hadn't done that since she was a little kid. Her father. Nick Cutter.

* * *

Next day in the forest of Dean, Kara stood beside Stephen wearing an all black suit, her father stood beside her wearing the same. As her mother wore her usual green outfit. She had actually convinced her father to let her go along with him into the Anomaly. At first he was against it, but gave in after a while.

"Be careful with the. They're our only hope of finding the future anomaly" Nick said as the SAS soldiers picked up the crate containing the Young Predators.

"If we don't make it back, push Lester through the worst anomaly you can find" he added to Stephen.

"It's a given" Stephen said. Kara smiled as Stephen turned to her, she hugged him and despite being surrounded by people, she kissed him. Something she had wanted to do for a while. When she broke away from him, she smiled as he did. Before he walked away to join Connor and Abby.

"What happens if it closes while you're on the other side?" Kara heard Claudia ask as she returned to her father's side.

"We wait until it re-opens" Nick stated the obvious. Kara smiled at Claudia, she could see how much Claudia and her father liked each other she just wanted them to admit it like she had with Stephen.

"I think we should get going" Helen said, after watching Nick and Claudia. Before walking towards the anomaly. Kara rolled her eyes; it was clearly her mother was jealous.

Kara started forward with her father, but stopped when Claudia spoke

"Don't go. Stay. I think this is a mistake. I've got a real bad feeling about this" She said. Causing Nick to stop

"Its going to be fine" Nick reassured her "I'll see you soon" he added. Kara smiled at Claudia as she followed her father towards the anomaly. She had grown close to the older woman over the past few months, much thanks to her father.

Kara turned when she saw Claudia walking towards them, she stepped back as Claudia walked up to her dad and kissed him. Kara smiled at the exchange and the look on her mothers face. When Claudia pulled away, Nick laughed and walked through the anomaly, Kara and Helen following.

* * *

On the other side of the anomaly, there was nothing but desert. Kara hadn't asked her dad what it was like the first time he had came here, she was more occupied by not getting killed by the Gorganospid. Both her parents had been through into this time, so they where caught off guard by the change, but she was. It was amazing.

Walking over a dune hill, still admiring the past Kara listened to her parents conversation.

"That was a rather touching farewell" She heard her mother say

"Hmm…Yup. Worked for me" Her father answered. Kara smiled.

"I suppose the object of the exercise was to punish me in some way?" Helen asked. Kara rolled her eyes, apparently her mother thought everything that happened had something to do with her.

"Actually, it wasn't about you at all." Came her father's reply.

Silence surrounded them as they carried on walking, Ryan and the SAS following behind carrying the two crates of young predators.

**XxX**

Kara sat on a boulder, not that far from her mother. She still couldn't believe she was millions of years into the past. From where she sat she could see a heard of Scutosaurus grazing on the hill over from them. Her father was observing Ryan and the soldiers as they set up camp. Her mother was taking pictures of the sights. Kara was so absorbed into everything around her she didn't hear her mother call her father over. Until she heard his voice.

"Stand up" Kara turned as she saw her father snap a picture of Helen. She watched as he slowly lowered the camera and stared at her mother as he remembered what he found last time.

"What?" Helen asked. Kara stood from where she had been sitting and walked towards her parents.

"The camp. It's the camp we found the first time. We made it" Nick said turning around. Kara confused as ever stopped as her father run back down the hill towards Ryan.

"It's us! We're the intruders" She heard him say as he stopped by Ryan before continuing down the hill. Ryan behind him.

"The camp we found was old. There was a dead body" Ryan said stopping at the base of the hill.

Kara and Helen followed and Kara stopped short behind Ryan, so she didn't crash into him

"Don't you see? We've arrived back years before the first time we came here. We've created our own past…The only difference, Kara wasn't here the first time we came through" Nick said turning to his daughter. Who was still confused on what was going on.

Suddenly the young predators started squealing. Ryan backed up with his gun raised. Kara returned to her father side as her mother picked up her back and placed it over her shoulders

"We must be near the anomaly…This is it Nick, we found it. We've found the future" Helen said walking forward. Kara watched as Ryan and his men spread out incase any attacks where made.

"That's all you cared about. You just wanted to find the future for yourself" Kara said without looking at her mother, she kept her eyes on Ryan. In doing so, she didn't see the exchange her mother tried to make with her father.

Suddenly a predator passed straight passed them, and took out on of the Soldiers. Kara was pushed down out of the way by her father as she steadied himself. Helen ducked before heading forwards. Nick pulled Kara by the arm and she stood following him as he moved her to safety and told her not to move or make a sound.

Kara watched as the predator took out the guard that was watching the young predators, Ryan started running towards it and shot at it when he got within range. The predator had started pulling out its young, before it attacked Ryan. Kara froze when she saw Ryan get killed. Her father stopped moving, at this point as the creature turned to him.

Her mother was in the trees beside her. "Dad" Kara breathed, as she tensed up seeing the creature move towards her father. There came growling from behind her and she turned to see a Gorganospid walking towards her and her mother. It spotted the future Predator and charged forward. Nick threw himself out of the way, as the past predator and future predator fought.

**XxX**

Kara watched as her father crept silently towards Ryan, her mother pushed her slightly as she proceeded further up the hill. Kara obeyed and moved silently up the hill as not to draw attention to herself or her mother.

Kara watched as the Gorganospid killed the future predator before limping away with its prize. She crept towards her father and the dying Ryan.

"The first time we came here, that body we found, that was me, wasn't it? I was looking at myself." Ryan said choking.

Kara turned her head from him as he was covered in blood. She felt tears come to her eyes as he spoke. Even though a few months ago she didn't even know Ryan, now being here as he died was like watching your best friend die.

"Did any of the young survive?" Nick asked after Ryan died. Kara pressed her head against his shoulder as she looked back at Ryan.

"Looks like they're all dead" Helen said

"This is over, we're leaving. We should bury the men" Nick said turning away from Ryan

After burying the men Kara stood up. The past was an amazing but dangerous place. She had learned that in the last few minutes.

"We don't have to go back, Nick." Helen said. Kara looked down at her mother as she spoke "The future anomaly must be here somewhere. We can still find it" Helen added.

"The future. Helen Cutter's last great frontier" Nick said as he stood up, Ryan's gun in hand. "No, if you want to stay here and look for it, it's fine. It's fine. But you're going to have to do it on your own 'cause we're leaving." He added looking over at his daughter who was looking around. Looking ready to leave.

"What have you got to go back for? That girl?" Helen asked looking up at Nick "Please don't tell me you're in love with her" She added

"Maybe. You know, maybe. You know, that's not really the point…" Nick said.

As Kara returned her attention the their conversation

"Then what is the point, Professor?" Helen asked

"The point is, we know where we belong" Kara said looking up at her mother for the first time since they had entered the past. Nick looked at Helen for a while before walking towards his daughter and turning her away and returning to the anomaly with her. Helen following behind them.

* * *

Walking back through the anomaly, into the present. Kara sighed happy to be home. She looked around at the familiar faces, before realising someone was missing. Claudia was missing.

"What happened? Did you find the anomaly?" Stephen asked. As Helen walked through behind Kara.

"Captain Ryan didn't make it. And all his men are dead" Nick stated "What ever happens, nobody goes back through" He added

"Well, I'm sorry to break your new rule so soon Nick, but, um, im not staying" Helen said moving away from Nick and Kara.

"Well, what did you come back through for?" Nick asked

"Oh, just a little, um, unfinished business" Helen said looking at Stephen

Kara looked from Stephen to her mother and back again

"You see, Nick, it was just one of those things. I was lonely. And you didn't seem to care about me. And Stephen was so sweet and attentive" Helen explained.

"Shut up, Helen" Stephen commented

"Oh, you mean you never told him?...Oh dear" Helen said, looking from the downcast Kara to a surprised Nick. Stephen looked at his old friend; to the girl he loved then to Helen a love from the past.

"What an extremely awkward moment" Lester commented as everyone was silent

"You see, I don't want to be on my own any more. You once said you'd do anything for me if I gave you the chance. Well, here it is. Come with me" Helen said walking towards Stephen.

Stephen looked over at Nick and saw him looking down, he also noticed Kara had turned away from him and everyone else. "Don't do this" He said looking back at Helen

"Falling for one of your students is never a good idea, but…sometimes these things just happen, you know" Helen said turning to face Nick

"How could you keep that from me, for so many years?" Nick asked finally looking back up and looking straight at Stephen

"There was no point in saying anything. It was a long time ago, in the past" Stephen said approaching Nick

"The past has a habit of coming back these days, doesn't it?" Helen commented from behind Stephen. Kara who still had her back turned to everyone was trying really hard to block this out. She didn't want to know that the guy she loved slept with her mother.

"Well? Are you coming?" Helen asked. Stephen looked over at the one person he cared for most and his oldest friend.

"You know what I'd forgotten Helen? Sometimes you can be a real bitch" Stephen said before turning around and walking away.

Helen smiled at Stephen, and then turned to Nick. She turned and walked back through the anomaly. Nick watched her go before looking back at the group and realising Claudia was missing.

"Where's Claudia?" He asked

"Claudia?" Lester asked confused.

This caused Kara turned to face the group

"Where's Claudia Brown?" Nick asked again

"Don't know anyone of that name" Lester stated. Kara noticed the confused looks on everyone's faces where her father mentioned Claudia.

"No, come on. Where is she?" Nick asked again

"We really, we…We don't know what your talking about" Stephen said

"Never heard of her" Connor said this time

"Look, you've been working with her every day for months…so don't tell me you don't know who she is" Nick said getting frustrated

"No, idea. Sorry" Lester said.

Nick moved forward and gripped Lester.

"Look. Look, where is she?" he asked again

"Cutter, we don't know her." Connor said

"No one knows her!" Abby added

"Wait, something's wrong. This isn't right. Something's gone wrong. Something's happened, something's changed. We've done something, we've. Something that we've done has changed the past and she's not here anymore." Nick said frantically before calming down slightly.

Kara looked past her father at the anomaly. "Dad" she said motioning to the anomaly.

"Oh, God, Oh my God" he said turning to look at the anomaly before looking back at his daughter and team…

* * *

**So whats happened to Claudia Brown? Will Helen's and Stephen's secret get in the way of Kara and Stephen's relationship? Will Nick or Kara be able to forgive Stephen for his betrayal, and secrecy? Find out in Season 2 of Primeval. Out soon.**

**Please Review.**


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